Jack Coggins
Yank Magazine Illustrations & Articles
Page 1
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In 1943 Jack Coggins received an invitation from Uncle Sam which he couldn't refuse. He was inducted into the U.S. Army on April 8, 1943 and served as a correspondent or staff artist for YANK magazine - written "By the men ... for the men in the service" - until the end of World War 2. Jack's Military Records show that he served in campaigns in Normandy, Northern France and Air Offensive. He was awarded the American Campaign Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Service Stars, Good Conduct Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, WWII Victory Medal and Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII. Records from US National Archives are available here.
Jack was transferred from basic training directly to the New York office of YANK on May 20, 1943, reportedly at the request of the commanding officer, Col. Franklin S. Forsberg, who knew his work from Life magazine. The earliest example of Jack's YANK artwork I have found to date was produced in the New York office and was published in late June, 1943 in Volume 2, No. 1 of both the US and British editions. The US edition of YANK was published from June 21, 1942 to December 28, 1945 - approx 187 issues. On page 2 there is some additional information about YANK magazine or click here for a fuller review by Earl Rickard.
About 16 October, 1943 Jack was transferred to the London Office of YANK where he was to spend the majority of his war service; he was discharged on November 3, 1945. The British Edition of YANK was published from November 8, 1942 until October 5, 1945 (?) and he is officially listed on the British YANK staff from the November 14, 1943 issue as Pvt. Jack Coggins, until he is finally listed as Sgt. Jack Coggins in the August 31, 1945 issue.
To date I have located 2 issues of US YANK and 25 issues of British YANK containing examples of Jack's work. While in Britain, he spent time on a Royal Navy convoy in the North Sea, witnessed the bombing of St. Lo, and flew over Berlin in a Lancaster bomber. He also spent time on a U.S. PT boat patrolling the beaches and made a trip into Brittany with an armored column. Action from all these campaigns was illustrated in YANK magazine in double page spreads, including the only 2 page full colour illustration ever published in YANK. Jack also wrote and illustrated two articles published in British YANK, "The 700 Year History of War Rockets" and "The German Fleet - A Brief Review". Both of these articles show the writing style he used to such good effect later in his career, as well as the beginnings of his interest in rockets, which led to his famous space books.
Above right is a photograph of Jack from the August 27, 1944 issue, showing a YANK pinup of Rita Hayworth to a horse.
Click here to see more information about YANK magazine on Page 2 or continue down this page to see my collection of Jack's artwork from YANK.
Jack Coggins Illustrations and Articles from YANK Magazine
To view the full size art please click on the thumbnail.
Illustrations for article "12 Months Under Fire"
Yank Magazine British edition Vol.2 No.1 June 20, 1943. Pages 3-5.
Yank Magazine US edition Vol.2 No. 1 June 25, 1943. Pages 8,9
Earliest YANK illustrations by Jack found to date.
Illustration for article "The Gun"
Yank Magazine US Edition Vol.2 No.12 September 10, 1943. Page 4
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.12 September 5, 1943. Page 4
Illustration for article "The Diary of a Flying Fortress Radio Operator"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.23 November 21, 1943. Pages 2,3
Illustration for article "It Looked Easy on the Map"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.26 December 12, 1943. Page 3
Illustration for article "This Is What Happened"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.28 December 26, 1943. Page 8
Illustration for article "The Fall of Italy"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.13 September 12, 1943. Page 4
This unsigned illustration is part of the same article - it may have been done by Jack.
Illustration for article "Spokane, Wash."
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.23 November 21, 1943. Page 14
Illustration for article "Propaganda Mule"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.27 December 19, 1943. Page 9
Illustration for article "Sweating It Out"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.28 December 26, 1943. Page 9
Article "The 700 Year History of War Rockets"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.30 January 9, 1944. Pages 9-11
Article "The German Fleet - A Brief Review"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.36 February 20, 1944. Pages 22,23
Illustrations "British Destroyer"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.43 April 9, 1944. Pages 6,7
Illustration for article "Air-Sea Rescue"
Yank Magazine British edition Vol.2 No.38
March 5, 1944. Page 9
Illustration for article "Too Good for the Guardhouse"
Yank Magazine British edition Vol.2 No.45
April 23, 1944. Page 5
Illustrations "His Majesty's Submarines"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.47 May 7, 1944. Pages 6,7
Two Page Colour Illustration "Mission Over Berlin"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.2 No.52 June 11, 1944. Pages 12,13
View the illustration caption here.
Illustration for article "64 Hours of Battle"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.3 No.1 June 18, 1944. Pages 4,5
Illustration for article "64 Hours of Battle"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.3 No.1 June 18, 1944. Page 4
Article "Across the Channel with the U.S. Merchane Marines"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.3 No.2 June 25, 1944. Pages 8,9
View the text of the article here.
Illustrations "The PTs"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.3 No.6 July 23, 1944. Pages 6,7
Illustration for article "Rommel, Count Your Men"
Yank Magazine British edition Vol.3 No.12 September 3, 1944. Page 7
Illustration for article "Death of an Army"
Yank Magazine British edition Vol.3 No.13 September 10, 1944. Page 11
Illustrations "Armoured Patrol"
Yank Magazine British Edition Vol.3 No.16 October 1, 1944. Pages 6,7
Illustration for article "The Spearhead's TDs"
Yank Magazine British edition Vol.3 No.29 December 31, 1944. Pages 2,3
Illustration for article "Massacre at Malmedy"
Yank Magazine British edition Vol.3 No.32 January 21, 1945. Pages 2,3
Illustration for article "Massacre at Malmedy"
Yank Magazine British edition Vol.3 No.32
January 21, 1945. Page 4
Illustration for article "A German Talks"
Yank Magazine British edition Vol.3 No.41
March 25, 1945. Page 11
Click here to see more information about YANK magazine on Page 2.
All Artworks Copyright © Jack Coggins