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“Ham” Coolidge, as his family called him, was born in Brookline in 1895. As a young man, he began studying at Harvard but left, with his close friend Quentin Roosevelt, to enlist in the Aviation Section of the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He studied flight training at MIT before being sent to France.
​

Coolidge arrived at the front after he was assigned to the 94th Aero Squadron. He was credited with taking down 9 enemy aircraft in aerial combat, and was promoted to Captain several weeks before his death. 

Coolidge understood the dangers of war, and experienced a great loss when his friend Quentin was killed in action. But Coolidge wrote in a letter home that,

“Death is certainly not a black unmentionable thing, and I feel...that dead people should be talked of just as if they were alive...To me Quentin is just away somewhere...I miss him the way I miss Mother and the family, for his personality or spirit are just as real and vivid as they ever were.” 


On October 28, 1918,  Ham’s plane took a direct hit from anti-aircraft shell near Grandpre, France. As shared with the King’s Chapel congregation several months after Ham’s death:
Ham was “one of the four New England heroes cited recently for extraordinary acts of bravery and awarded the distinguished service medal...Leading a protection protocol of the squadron, Captain Coolidge went to the assistance of two observation planes which were attacked by six German machines. Observing this maneuver, the enemy sent up a terrific barrage from anti-aircraft guns. Disregarding the extreme danger, Captain Coolidge dived straight into the barrage, and his plane was struck and sent down in flames. “
He had just turned 23 years old. 

A fellow pilot named Eddie Rickenbacker and a priest were able to locate Ham’s body and give him a proper burial. In his memoirs, Rickenbacker shared: 

“Amid the continuous whines of passing shells we laid the poor mangled body of Captain Hamilton Coolidge in its last resting place. Over the grave was placed a Cross suitably engraved with his name, rank and the date of his tragic death. A wreath of flowers was laid at the foot of the cross. Then with uncovered head I took a photograph of the grave, which later was sent "back home" to the family who mourned for one of the most gallant gentlemen who ever fought in France.”

In finding Hamilton Coolidge, burying him, and creating a makeshift memorial, Eddie Rickenbacker helped preserve Coolidge’s memory, not only in the community where his plane went down, but also for his loved ones back home.

In
​the years following Coolidge's death, his family published his wartime letters, which provide a powerful and personal written record of one young man's experiences during the First World War.


Read Hamilton Coolidge's letters.

Hamilton Coolidge's letters were published by his family in 1919. Click here to view the book, Letters of an American Airman: Being the War Record of Capt. Hamilton Coolidge, U.S.A. This collection of letters is available online through archive.org. 
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King's Chapel
Est. 1686
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In the love of truth, and the spirit of Jesus Christ, we unite for the worship of God
​and the service of all​.
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 www.kings-chapel.org |  58 Tremont St. Boston, MA 02108  |  617-227-2155 
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  • Home
    • About Us >
      • Welcome
      • Calendar
      • Clergy & Staff
      • Contact Us & Directions >
        • Send A Message
      • Employment Opportunities >
        • Pianist/ Music Leader
        • Verger Position
  • Worship
    • Holy Week 2022
    • Sunday at 9 AM
    • Sunday at 11 AM
    • Lent 2022
    • Sermons
    • Special Annual Services
    • Book of Common Prayer
  • Music
    • Tuesday Recitals
    • Concert Series
    • Musical Inquiries
  • History & Tours
    • Plan Your Visit >
      • 2023 At A Glance
      • Guided Tour Offerings >
        • Group Tours
    • Explore Our History >
      • A Brief History
      • The Stone Chapel: Art & Architecture >
        • The Wooden Chapel
        • Georgian Architecture
        • Box Pews
        • Interior Colors
        • Memorials
        • The Chancel Windows
        • The Last Supper Painting
      • Crypt and Burying Ground >
        • Crypt >
          • Crypt Highlights: Crypt Entrance
          • Crypt Highlights: Tomb Structure
          • Crypt Highlights: The Stranger's Tomb
          • Crypt Highlights: Research and Family Connections
          • Crypt Highlights: Remaining Memorials
          • Crypt Highlights: Hand-Hewn Beams
        • Burying Ground
      • Religious History >
        • Online Exhibit: Independent Country, Independent Church
        • 334 Years of Ministry
      • Slavery at King's Chapel
    • Online Exhibits >
      • Revolutionary King's Chapel: Online Exhibit
      • Literary King's Chapel
      • Uncovering the Past: Exploring Black History Through Primary Sources
    • History Events & Programs >
      • Past Events & Programs
      • Recorded History Programs
    • Christmas History at King's Chapel >
      • Decking the Halls: The History of Decorating with Greens
      • Christmas Lights: Then and Now
      • 18th & 19th Century Christmas Services & Music
      • Christmas Feasts & Treats Throughout History
      • Holiday History Trivia
    • History Program Blog
    • About Us >
      • History Program Staff
      • Contact Us
    • Support the History Program
  • Community
    • News & Updates >
      • Parish Community News
    • Community from Home
    • Community Action Committee >
      • Anti-Racism Resources
    • Memorial to Enslaved Persons
    • Environmental Action Initiative
    • Join King's Chapel
    • For Members >
      • Budget Meeting 2023
      • Partner Church Sunday 2022
      • KC Bylaws
      • 2022- 2023 Church Leadership
  • Giving
    • Why Give
    • Ways to Give
    • Stewardship >
      • Pledge
  • Weddings & Baptisms
    • Weddings >
      • Dear Prospective Couple
      • Wedding Inquiry
      • Wedding Service
    • Baptisms
  • Space Rentals