The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Charles Henry Coolidge (ASN: 34286521), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company M, 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, on 31 May 1944 in Italy. Sergeant Coolidge’s machine gun section had participated in a forced night march to cut off the enemy garrison in a beleaguered strongpoint. Shortly after daylight the battalion made contact with the enemy and deployed for a fight. Operating in support of a rifle company, the machine gun section recieved severe sniping and point blank fire from self-propelled guns. When the enemy counterattacked in strength, Sergeant Coolidge and the other members of the machine gun section greated them with devastating fire and inflicted many casualties. Approximately a company of enemy threatened the left flank. Quickly moving their guns to an exposed position only twenty-five yards from the nearest enemy, Sergeant Coolidge and his company used a free traverse to place such an effective fire on the onrushing foe that those not killed or wounded were panicked into scattered disorganization and made easy to capture. Thus the threat was dispelled largely because of the quick-witted courage of Sergeant Coolidge and his comrades. His gallant action reflects great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.
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Cemetery:
Awards Received
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Silver Star
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Medal of Honor
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Silver Star
Service:
United States ArmyRank:
SergeantBatallion:
3d BattalionRegiment:
141st Infantry RegimentDivision:
36th Infantry DivisionAction Date:
May 31, 1944
Headquarters, 36th Infantry Division, General Orders No. 284 (1944) -
Medal of Honor
Service:
United States ArmyRank:
Technical SergeantBatallion:
3d BattalionRegiment:
141st Infantry RegimentDivision:
36th Infantry DivisionAction Date:
October 24 – 27, 1944
War Department, General Orders No. 53, July 1945The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Technical Sergeant Charles Henry Coolidge, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty on October 24 – 27, 1944, while serving with Company M, 3d Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, in action at East of Belmont sur Buttant, France. Leading a section of heavy machineguns supported by one platoon of Company K, Technical Sergeant Coolidge 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 3d Battalion and supporting its action. Technical Sergeant 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. Technical Sergeant 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, Technical Sergeant Coolidge wounded two of them. There being no officer present with the force, Technical Sergeant Coolidge at once assumed command. Many of the men were replacements recently arrived; this was their first experience under fire. Technical Sergeant 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 Technical Sergeant Coolidge’s able leadership. On 27 October, German infantry, supported by two tanks, made a determined attack on the position. The area was swept by enemy small arms, machinegun, and tank fire. Technical Sergeant 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. Technical Sergeant Coolidge, displaying great coolness and courage, directed and conducted an orderly withdrawal, being himself the last to leave the position. As a result of Technical Sergeant Coolidge’s heroic and superior leadership, the mission of this combat group was accomplished throughout four days of continuous fighting against numerically superior enemy troops in rain and cold and amid dense woods.