Capt. Hamilton Coolidge, Descendant of Thomas Jefferson, Reinterred After 106 Years

by John Hamilton Works, Jr.

Capt. Hamilton Coolidge, a World War I flying ace from the 94th Aero Squadron and the third great-grandson of Thomas Jefferson, was reinterred in the village of Chevrières, France, on September 15, 2024, where he was shot down during an aerial engagement 106 years ago. The reinterment was organized to ensure the protection of his remains, which were at risk due to erosion from the Aire River near his original burial site. More than 450 local villagers and visitors from neighboring communities and beyond gathered to honor Coolidge’s sacrifice.

The ceremony took place approximately a half mile from the original crash site, which also served as his initial resting place, and has been maintained by the village since October 27, 1918, when Coolidge was shot down. In World War I it was often the custom that pilots were buried where they crashed. Coolidge was buried at the very spot where his plane hit the ground near the village of Chevrières, France, which is approximately a mile from the town of Grand Pré in the Argonne, which itself is approximately 100 miles northeast of Paris. Coolidge’s remains were originally buried by his friend and fellow ace, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, and a local priest shortly after the crash. Rickenbacker described Coolidge as “one of the finest men I ever knew.” The Pursuit Group requested permission of the German command to give Coolidge a Christian burial. Rickenbacker and a small party proceeded to the scene under a flag of truce to render the last rites to Coolidge.

The village of Chevrières has not only preserved Coolidge’s remains, but also the wreckage of his Nieuport 28 aircraft. Key pieces of the wreckage, including the machine gun Coolidge was firing at the time of the crash and the aircraft’s engine, have been restored, and are displayed in the village as part of an ongoing tribute to the fallen aviator. The village of Chevrières has pledged to continue maintaining Coolidge’s new resting place as a memorial to his legacy, ensuring that his contributions during World War I are remembered. “This ceremony was something that had never happened before and will likely never happen again. Today’s life-changing experience helped rekindle a special relationship and will hopefully assist our Airmen to better understand their aviation heritage and the sacrifices required during war,” said the 1st Fighter Wing Historian.

While leading a protective patrol over the village of Chevrieres on October 27, 1918, only two weeks before the Armistice, Captain Coolidge went to the assistance of two U.S. observation planes which were under attack by six German planes. Disregarding the extreme danger in an effort to save the town, Captain Coolidge dived straight into the barrage and his plane took a direct hit from a German anti-aircraft shell. He died in the crash at the age of 22.

Coolidge was the Commanding Officer of the 94th Aero Squadron of more than 150 men. Eddie Rickenbacker—America’s “aces of aces”—(26 victories) served under Captain Coolidge’s command. Captain Coolidge was an ace, having brought down 12 enemy planes and balloons, and was officially credited with 8. Coolidge was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with palm, a citation by General Pershing, and the Distinguished Service Cross. He was the best friend of Quentin Roosevelt, the youngest son of President Theodore Roosevelt. They attended Groton School and Harvard College together, joined the United States Army Air Service, and served together with the First Pursuit Group, which operated at the front in Toul, France. They were killed in action within a few months of each other in 1918.