George T. Coates was born on December 1, 1920 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. He was the son of George Mills Coates and Margaret Barry Coates.

SSgt Coates, radio operator of the B-17 42-29476 “Snafu”, took off from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK, on May 29th, 1943, in order to bomb Rennes naval stockpiles. The crew had flown only five missions together since their arrival in England on May 12th. This one was a major operation, involving over 200 aircraft. The 72 B-17s “Snafu” was a part of were covered by a fighter escort to the coast. However, once over enemy territory they were intercepted by Luftwaffe fighters and were hit at 1630. Philbeck was the only crew member able to jump, his oxygen mask on fire and his friends shot up in a disintegrating plane. He lost consciousness but regained it in time to land safely. He was immediately taken prisoner and sent to Stalag 17B in Braunau, Gneikendorf. From bottom to top, left to right the pictures shows Raymond Kaskey (who did not take part in the mission – he was later captured), Snell, Eugene McCoy, Symmonds, Coates, Hecox, Harisson, Ronald McCoy, Vanderhook, and Edward Via. The latter had died prior to this mission.