Charles H. Coolidge

Charles Henry Coolidge (born August 4, 1921) is a former United States Army technical sergeant and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration for valor—the Medal of Honor—for his heroism in France during World War II.

Charles H. Coolidge
Born (1921-08-04) August 4, 1921
Signal Mountain, Tennessee
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1942–1945
RankTechnical Sergeant
UnitCompany M, 3rd Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsMedal of Honor
Silver Star
Bronze Star Medal
Legion of Honor (France)

Coolidge is the only living Medal of Honor recipient from the European theater of the war, and the only surviving one to receive the Medal of Honor during the war. Coolidge and Hershel W. Williams (Marine Corps, Pacific theatre, presented days after war's end, age 96 in 2019) are the only living Medal of Honor recipients from World War II.

Early life

Coolidge was born in Signal Mountain, Tennessee, on August 4, 1921, the son of Walter and Grace (McCracken) Coolidge of Chattanooga. He graduated from Chattanooga High School in 1939, and worked at his father's printing business as a bookbinder.

World War II

Lieutenant General Wade H. Haislip congratulates Coolidge after presenting him with the Medal of Honor

Coolidge was drafted into the United States Army on June 16, 1942.[1] He received basic training at Fort McClellan in Alabama. He was then sent to Camp Butler, North Carolina, and Camp Edwards in Massachusetts, where he was assigned to M Company, 3rd Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division. In April 1943, his unit was shipped overseas to Oran in Algeria, to participate in the North Africa Campaign. While serving as a machine gun section leader and sergeant, he was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action in Italy on May 31, 1944.[2]

On October 24, 1944, Coolidge was a technical sergeant in charge of group of machine-gunners and rifleman of M Company who were to hold a vital hilltop position in France near the German border. During four days of attacks at Hill 623, east of Belmont-sur-Buttant in France, Coolidge and his group held off numerous enemy infantrymen, plus two tanks on October 27 using grenades; one tank unsuccessfully fired 5 separate rounds at Coolidge personally. For his actions above and beyond the call of duty during the battle, Coolidge was presented the Medal of Honor by Lieutenant General Wade H. Haislip during a ceremony at an airfield near Dornstadt, Germany.

Post-war life

Coolidge resides near Chattanooga, Tennessee, where a highway and park have been named for him. He still goes to work every day at the family business, Chattanooga Printing & Engraving,[3] which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010. His son, Charles H. Coolidge Jr., is a retired lieutenant general of the United States Air Force. On September 15, 2006, Coolidge was awarded the Legion of Honour by officials of the French consulate at a ceremony in Coolidge Park (named in 1945).[4]

Coolidge was inducted into the John Sevier Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution in March 2015.[5]

Military awards

Coolidge's military awards and decorations include:[6]

Combat Infantryman Badge
Medal of Honor Silver Star Bronze Star Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal American Campaign Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
with one 3/16" silver star and two 3/16" bronze stars
World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal French Legion of Honor (Chevalier-Knight)
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation

Medal of Honor citation

Coolidge's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

Coolidge in May 2014

Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company M, 141th Infantry, 36th Infantry Division
Place and date: East of Belmont sur Buttant, France, 24–27 October 1944
Entered service at: Signal Mountain, Tenn.
G.O. No. 53, July 1945

Leading a section of heavy machineguns supported by 1 platoon of Company K, he took a position near Hill 623, east of Belmont sur Buttant, France, on October 24, 1944, with the mission of covering the right flank of the 3d Battalion and supporting its action. T/Sgt. Coolidge went forward with a Sergeant of Company K to reconnoiter positions for coordinating the fires of the light and heavy machineguns. They ran into an enemy force in the woods estimated to be an infantry company. T/Sgt. Coolidge, attempting to bluff the Germans by a show of assurance and boldness called upon them to surrender, whereupon the enemy opened fire. With his carbine, T/Sgt. Coolidge wounded 2 of them. There being no officer present with the force, T/Sgt. Coolidge at once assumed command. Many of the men were replacements recently arrived; this was their first experience under fire. T/Sgt. Coolidge, unmindful of the enemy fire delivered at close range, walked along the position, calming and encouraging his men and directing their fire. The attack was thrown back. Through 25 and October 26, the enemy launched repeated attacks against the position of this combat group but each was repulsed due to T/Sgt. Coolidge's able leadership. On October 27, German infantry, supported by 2 tanks, made a determined attack on the position. The area was swept by enemy small arms, machinegun, and tank fire. T/Sgt. Coolidge armed himself with a bazooka and advanced to within 25 yards of the tanks. His bazooka failed to function and he threw it aside. Securing all the hand grenades he could carry, he crawled forward and inflicted heavy casualties on the advancing enemy. Finally it became apparent that the enemy, in greatly superior force, supported by tanks, would overrun the position. T/Sgt. Coolidge, displaying great coolness and courage, directed and conducted an orderly withdrawal, being himself the last to leave the position. As a result of T/Sgt. Coolidge's heroic and superior leadership, the mission of this combat group was accomplished throughout 4 days of continuous fighting against numerically superior enemy troops in rain and cold and amid dense woods.[7]

Other honors

  • In November 2013, Coolidge's was the first one of 12 portraits of Medal of Honor recipients on the cover sheet of a United States Postal Service "World War II Medal of Honor Forever Stamp" packet of 20 Medal of Honor stamps.[8]
gollark: It needs to cool a laptop. It does not need to also walk your dog.
gollark: It's a cooling mat. What do you WANT from it?
gollark: Just look up a laptop cooling mat or something. You don't need anything fancy.
gollark: ???
gollark: The thinner laptops are, the worse their performance and/or cooling is.

See also

References

  1. WWII Army Enlistment Records
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-08-01. Retrieved 2017-11-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "September 15, 2006: FRANCE HONORS WWII VETERAN IN CHATTANOOGA". Consulate General of France and French Trade Commission in Atlanta. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
  4. "MOH Recipient Charles H. Collidge Is Inducted into the SAR by President General Lindsey C. Brock". SAR.
  5. "Medal of Honor recipients – World War II (A-F)". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
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