Charles Henry Coolidge was born in Signal Mountain in 1921. He entered the United States Army as a draftee in 1942 and served as a technical sergeant in charge of a machine gun section.

On October 24, 1944, Coolidge’s machine gun section and a platoon of riflemen–most of whom were replacements with no combat experience–were assigned to protect the right flank of the battalion at Hill 623, east of Belmont-sur-Buttant, France. Suddenly, the Americans were confronted by a large German unit. Coolidge tried to bluff the Germans into surrender, but the enemy attacked. Action ensued until two German tanks appeared on October 27. An English speaking German officer asked Coolidge to surrender, who quickly replied: “No, Mac, you’ve got to come and get us.” Realizing that he could no longer hold his position, Coolidge organized a fighting withdrawal, “being himself the last to leave the position.” He received the Medal of Honor for this action.

After the war, Coolidge returned home to his father’s business, Chattanooga Printing and Engraving. Despite struggles with multiple sclerosis, he did not retire until the age of 95. When he died in 2021, he was the last living World War II Medal of Honor recipient from the European Theater.