_(full_restore)_(trans).png)
.png)
The Medal of Honor is the United States' highest and most prestigious military decoration, awarded for acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. Established during the Civil War in 1861, it was initially created for the Navy and later extended to the Army and other service branches. It recognizes service members who display extraordinary bravery and self-sacrifice, often at the risk of their own lives, during combat operations against enemy forces.
Over the years, the Medal of Honor has become a symbol of the greatest military heroism. Each recipient undergoes a thorough review process, and the medal is typically presented by the President of the United States in the name of Congress, which is why it's often called the "Congressional Medal of Honor." Only a few thousand individuals have received this honor since its inception, making it one of the rarest and most respected awards in the U.S. military.
Technical Sergeant Charles H. Coolidge received the Medal of Honor from Lieutenant General Wade H. Haislip during a battlefield ceremony near Dornstadt, Germany, on June 18, 1945. This presentation was one of the rare instances during World War II where the Medal of Honor was awarded in the field rather than by the President at the White House.
Coolidge earned the Medal for his extraordinary bravery during a four-day battle in October 1944 near Belmont-sur-Buttant, France. Leading a small group of soldiers, he held off repeated German attacks, including assaults by infantry and tanks, demonstrating exceptional leadership and courage under fire.
The field presentation by Lt. Gen. Haislip underscores the immediacy and significance of Coolidge's actions. While the Medal of Honor is traditionally presented by the President, wartime circumstances sometimes necessitated alternative arrangements, as in Coolidge's case.
Citation
War Department, General Orders No. 53, July 1945
The 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 machine guns supported by one platoon of Company K, he took a position near Hill 623, east of Belmont-sur-Buttant, France, 24 October 1944, with the mission of covering the right flank of the 3d Battalion and supporting its action. TSgt. 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. TSgt. 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, TSgt. Coolidge wounded two of them. There being no officer present with the force, TSgt. Coolidge at once assumed command. Many of the men were replacements recently arrived; this was their first experience under fire. TSgt. 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 24 and 26 October the enemy launched repeated attacks against the position of this combat group but each was repulsed due to TSgt. 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, machine-gun, and tank fire. TSgt. Coolidge armed himself with a bazooka and advanced 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. TSgt. Coolidge, displaying great coolness and courage, directed and conducted an orderly withdrawal, being himself the last to leave the position. As a result of TSgt. Coolidge's heroic and superior leadership, the mission of his combat group was accomplished throughout four days of continuous fighting against numerically superior enemy troops in rain and cold and amid dense woods.
Note:
You may have noticed that the version of the Medal of Honor at the top of this page, the very same medal that was presented to Charles Coolidge in 1945, looks a bit different (particularly the ribbon) from today's version of the Medal of Honor. During WWII, the design that was awarded to recipients was the version designed by General George Gillespie in 1904. It features a star-shaped medal with a portrait of Minerva in the middle of the star. Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and victory, was chosen because she is also the goddess of warfare, though with a focus on strategic warfare, rather than the violence of gods such as Mars. The star is surrounded by a wreath of laurel, and hangs from a gold bar that reads, "VALOR" with an eagle perched on top clutching arrows and an olive branch, symbolizing war and peace. The medal is suspended from a light blue ribbon that has 13 stars on it.
This particular design was meant to be worn like other medals, on the chest of the recipient. However, in 1944 the neck ribbon was introduced for the Army version of the medal. It allowed the medal to be worn around the neck, which gave it a more distinctive and ceremonial appearance, emphasizing its unique status as the nation's highest military honor. This update was part of a broader redesign of military decorations to ensure consistency and to enhance the prestige and visibility of the Medal of Honor.
When the neck ribbon was introduced, there was a period of overlap where the version seen above (with chest ribbon), was worn attached to a neck ribbon (which can be seen at left). It wasn't until a few years later that the ribbon design was changed and medal itself was permanently attached to a neck ribbon, held in place by a ribbon brooch containing 13 stars.
Technical Sergeant Charles H. Coolidge receives the Medal of Honor from LTGEN Wade Haislip on 18 June, 1945 on a bombed-out field near Dornstadt, Germany.
