Charles H. Coolidge

Charles H. Coolidge was born on Signal Mountain 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. , He was drafted into the U.S. Army on June 16, 1942 and received basic training at Fort McClellan in Alabama. He was then sent to Camp Butner, North Carolina, and Camp Edwards in Massachusetts where he was assigned to M Company, Third 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. , On October 24-27, 1944, Coolidge was a Technical Sergeant in charge of a section of heavy machine guns supported by a platoon of infantry from Company K who were holding a vital hilltop position in France near the German border during enemy attacks over a period of four days on Hill 623 East of Belmont-sur-Buttant in France which included two tanks on October 27. T/Sgt. Coolidge personally led the counterattack that repulsed the enemy and after refusing the German request to surrender, one of the tanks fired several rounds directly at T/Sgt. Coolidge. For his actions above and beyond the call of duty during the battle, T/Sgt. Coolidge was presented the Medal of Honor by Lieutenant General Wade H. Haislip during a ceremony in 1945 at an airfield near Dornstadt, Germany. , The Citation for T/Sgt. Coolidge's award for valor reads as follows: , "Leading a section of heavy machine guns supported by 1 platoon of Company K, he took a position near Hill 623, east of Belmont-sur-Buttant, France, on 24 October 1944, with the mission of covering the right flank of the Third 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 machine guns. 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 26 October 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 27 October, German infantry, supported by 2 tanks, made a determined attack on the position. The area was swept by enemy small arms, machine gun, 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." , Photo caption: Lieutenant General Wade R. Haislip expresses thanks and appreciation after presenting T/Sgt. Coolidge with the Medal of Honor at the airfield at Dornstadt, Germany.