For God and Country, after the Memorial Day Parade in 1919
in Nashua, a group of local World War I veteran's met at
the National Guard Armory and formed a veterans group call
"the American Legion". In 1920, a special
committee in the American Legion was named to ascertain
whom the first Nashua Boy was to be killed in World War
I. After considerable correspondence, and much
research, the committee reported that James E. Coffey was
the first to die, although several other Nashua boys died
later the same day.
The
American Legion then named the Local
veterans organization, The James E.
Coffey Post No. 3, The American
Legion of Nashua, New
Hampshire. James E. Coffey was
born in Nashua on April 22, 1896,
the son of Daniel J. and Catherine
Dillion Coffey. He was
educated in the schools of Nashua
and attended St. Patrick's
Church. He enlisted at the
outbreak if World War I on June 5,
1917 and was assigned to Company D
of the 103rd Infantry, 26th
Division. He went overseas
with the famous Yankee Division
under the leadership of Major
General Clarence R. Edwards.
James Coffey was killed in action on
May 10, 1918 at St. Agnaut in the
Toul sector during the Apremont
battle. He was serving in the
front lines when the Germans put
down a heavy barrage, which included
poison gas shells. The Nashua
youth was a victim of a poison gas
attack about one o'clock on the
morning of May 10, 1918 and died
later that same day.
He
was awarded the Croix de
Guerre. He also received the
Purple Heart and citations from
General John J. Pershing, President
Woodrow Wilson, and the President of
France. Private Coffey is
burried in St. Mihiel American
Cemetary, Thiscout Meurthe et
Moiselle, France.
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