"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 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
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 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, 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."
From T/Sgt. Coolidge's Medal of Honor citation, awarded in July, 1945.
On Sept. 15, 2006, Coolidge received the Legion of Honor medal for his actions in France in WWII.
Thank you for your service and may you be at peace,
Brian
Oral history by Coolidge, himself.
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