Above and Beyond

In 1863, Chattanooga, Tennessee, became the site of the first Medal of Honor award during the Civil War. The city’s role in the history of that honor is told at the Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor Heritage Center, which opened next to the Tennessee Aquarium last February.

Named after the oldest surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient from Chattanooga, the attraction reveals a piece of the city’s history that is unknown to many. “Without this institution, there is no one place people can go to learn about that story,” Executive Director Keith Hardison said. The narrative behind the recipient’s character and actions that earned them the medal is the museum’s primary focus, rather than individual objects on display. “Our goal is to put people in the story,” Hardison said.

Once inside, visitors learn about the Medal of Honor’s history and can search a database of all medal recipients in the Above and Beyond Gallery before stepping into different rooms showcasing medal winners from Tennessee or having ties to the state. A boxcar with a digital map illustrates the Great Locomotive Chase, where several Union soldiers received medals for attempting to disrupt Confederate supply lines on a stolen Chattanooga-bound train. The Battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga gallery feature sculptures highlighting recipients like John Higgins, who halted friendly fire on a foggy Lookout Mountain by waving the Union flag, and Mary Walker, the only female Medal of Honor recipient.

At the World War I exhibit, an original rifle similar to the one used by Alvin York highlights how the Army corporal overcame religious objections to kill and capture German soldiers. The World War II exhibits feature a display of Japan’s Hacksaw Ridge, where recipient Desmond Doss moved wounded soldiers to safety without firing a weapon, and for Paul Huff for his role as the first Medal of Honor paratrooper recipient. 

Many original Medals of Honor are displayed throughout the museum, including Charles Coolidge’s medal for his actions in France. The story of George Gillespie Jr.’s redesign of the medal in 1904 is presented. There are stories of the Medal of Honor recipients told through displays in more recent wars, such as Vietnam and more recent actions. The tour concludes with a hall of fame of every Tennessee Medal of Honor recipient and a gallery featuring changing exhibits using artifacts from the Heritage Center’s extensive collection as well as borrowed items. Visitors can also drive around Chattanooga on the Medal of Honor Heritage Trail and see different markers noting the recipient’s actions during the Civil War.

Throughout the museum are six kiosks identifying the Medal of Honor character traits—courage, sacrifice, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, and commitment, which were later identified by historians at Princeton University through film interviews by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Despite going beyond the call of duty for their actions, many recipients were humble about the award. “When you deal with the Medal of Honor recipients, they will tell you they were not doing anything special, but they were just doing their duty, serving their country, and protecting their comrades in arms,” Hardison said.

Each kiosk gives helpful tips from the recipients on applying character traits to daily life, such as standing up to a bully on the playground, bringing attention to an unethical business practice at work, sacrificing time to help a friend or family member in need, taking responsibility for a mistake, or standing for the Pledge of Allegiance, so that individuals become better citizens. “You don’t have to wear a uniform to demonstrate courage or patriotism,” Hardison said. “The character traits are universally applicable.”

Like many attractions in 2020, the Heritage Center was greatly affected by Covid-19. Shortly after opening, the Heritage Center closed for nearly two months before reopening with stringent visitor safety guidelines. “The pandemic altered everyone’s life expectations, including how they visit cultural institutions,” Hardison said.

To work around the pandemic, the Heritage Center moved many of its events and lectures online. With the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Character Development Program for local classrooms on hold, the organization created a virtual living history program where students nationwide learn about military weapons, uniforms, and equipment remotely from a trained historian. “We are currently offering these programs to classrooms at no charge,” Hardison said. 

Hardison said visitors’ experiences at the Heritage Center generally exceed their expectations. “Many who come in say it was a lot more engaging than they thought,” he said. The staff takes pride in ensuring that people who visit leave inspired by the recipient’s’ stories and what it means to be an American. “Everyone has worked hard to make sure that we are doing right by these recipients and telling their history correctly, doing it first class, and it is inspiring to the people that come,” Hardison said.

Noted Medal of Honor recipients

Charles George

Born August 23, 1932, in Cherokee, North Carolina, Charles George was a Private First Class in the U.S. Army’s Company C, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. Growing up on the Cherokee Reservation as a member of the Bird Clan, George enlisted in the Army at a young age to honor Tsali, a legendary Cherokee who sacrificed his life during the 1838 Cherokee removal from North Carolina so that future generations could continue living on their ancestral land.

George served his country during the Korean War. On November 30, 1952, he and his comrades tried to capture an enemy prisoner for interrogation when they fell under intense gunfire. While others in his unit retreated, George and two other soldiers stayed behind to continue fighting. After a grenade landed in George’s trench, he quickly got the two soldiers out of the way, used his body to absorb the grenade’s impact, and died shortly after the blast.  

On March 10, 1954, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by Navy  Secretary Robert T. Stevens. George was laid to rest in Cherokee, and the Museum of the Cherokee Indian proudly displays his medal to remind others of his sacrifice. 

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker

Born in 1832 in Syracuse, New York, Mary Edwards Walker is the only female to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Her parents encouraged Walker to enroll in medical school to become a doctor during a time when women had limited options in society. She graduated from Syracuse Medical School in 1855. In daily life, Walker, an advocate of equality and healthy living, abandoned typical female clothing and, in 1878, adopted full male dress.

During the Civil War, Walker was denied the opportunity to join the Army as a surgeon. To overcome this obstacle, she volunteered to serve without pay at military hospitals. After tending to injured troops at the Battle of Fredericksburg, she traveled to the Chattanooga area to treat the wounded from the battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga. For her calm composure under pressure, the Army later accepted Walker as a contract assistant surgeon for the 52nd Ohio Infantry Regiment.

On November 11, 1865, Walker received the Medal of Honor from President Andrew Johnson for her Civil War service. Walker spent her remaining years advancing women’s causes until she died in 1919. Her medal was rescinded in 1917 because she was not actually a soldier. However, it was reinstated posthumously by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. 

Michael E. Thornton

Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Michael E. Thornton served in the Vietnam War as a Navy SEAL. On October 31, 1972, Thornton and Navy Lieutenant Tom Norris were on a mission to capture enemy prisoners for intelligence gathering off Vietnam’s coast with the South Vietnamese Navy’s help. After reaching shore, enemy fire overtook Thornton and Norris. The men got separated in the chaos, and a South Vietnamese Navy SEAL told Thornton that Norris was dead.

The grim report did not deter Thornton. He sprang into action, ran the length of two football fields into enemy territory, threw Norton, who was alive, on his shoulder, and ran back. Carrying his injured partner and a wounded Vietnamese, Thornton swam for three hours in the ocean before all three were rescued.

President Richard Nixon awarded Thornton the Medal of Honor on October 15, 1973. His partner received the medal three years later in 1976, and both men would later co-write a book about their experience. After serving in Operation Desert Storm, Thornton retired from the Navy in 1992. He currently lives in Dallas, Texas, where he runs a non-profit helping both active and retired military in need.

Charles H. Coolidge

Born in Signal Mountain, Tennessee, in 1921, Coolidge is one of two surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipients. He served in the 141st Infantry Regiment of the 36th Infantry Division in the Army, and saw action in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany.

On October 24, 1944, on a chilly, dreary day near Belmont-sur-Buttant, France, Coolidge and his squad of 27 men were searching for a suitable defensive position for the right flank of the 2nd Battalion. While advancing, the squad encountered a force of Germans and, failing to persuade the enemy to surrender, occupied Hill 623. The German force, consisting of a company of German infantry backed by two tanks, attacked. According to Lt. Col. Randall Stillinger, Coolidge’s unit killed 26 enemy soldiers and wounded 60 more during the engagement. After holding his position for five days, Coolidge withdrew with his unit intact.

Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton Halislip awarded Coolidge the Medal of Honor in Germany on June 18, 1945. After the war, Coolidge channeled his strong work ethic into his family’s print shop in Chattanooga, working well into his 80s. In 2006, he received the Legion D’ Honneur, the French government’s highest award, for his heroic action. Coolidge Park in Chattanooga bears his name, along with the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. 

Cornelius H. Charlton

Originally from the coal mining community of East Gulf near Beckley, West Virginia, Cornelius H. Charlton enlisted in the Army’s 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, after graduating from high school in the Bronx, New York. As an African-American growing up during segregation, Charlton was nonetheless eager to serve his country. The desegregation of the U.S. military in 1948 freed him to rise to the rank of sergeant.

On June 2, 1951, during the height of the Korean War, Charlton’s platoon came under attack and his commanding officer was injured. Charlton continued leading the charge into enemy territory up a hill near Chipo-Ri, Korea. While killing six enemy troops and eliminating two enemy positions, Charlton was injured in the chest. He refused medical attention and continued the charge up the hill alone into enemy fire. He was wounded by a grenade while attacking a Chinese bunker and died as a result of that wound. According to his medal citation, Charlton saved the lives of his platoon members with his actions.

The Pentagon posthumously awarded him the Medal of Honor on March 12, 1952. Initially buried at the American Legion Cemetery in Beckley, his remains were carried to Arlington National Cemetery in 2008. Charlton is one of 15 African-American Medal of Honor recipients buried at Arlington National Cemetery. 

About the Author:

Despite having a day job at a dental laboratory, Aaron Tanner’s passion is freelance writing and sharing inspiring stories about different people and places. Aaron lives in Huntsville, Alabama, with two sets of cats and dogs. He discovered a talent for writing while working as a reporter for The Chanticleer, the student newspaper at Jacksonville State University. His work has appeared in American Road, Alabama Living, Okra magazine, The Birmingham News, and Smoky Mountain Living.