A Young Seattle Hero Remembered: Silver Star Recipient Pfc. Thomas J. Coyle

On July 18th, 1945, in a quiet ceremony held at the south Seattle home of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Coyle, the Silver Star Medal—America’s third-highest military decoration for valor—was posthumously awarded to their son, Private First-Class Thomas J. Coyle. He was just 19 years old when he was killed in action on January 17, 1945, during fierce fighting on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The Silver Star was presented by Major Arthur F. Kroeger of the 9th Service Command, who solemnly pinned the medal on Mrs. Coyle. “I want to give you this as a token of the American people,” he said simply. “I wish there were more I could say.”

The citation accompanying the medal honored Private Coyle’s bravery and sacrifice:

“For gallantry in action against the Japanese forces on January 17, 1945. Private Coyle, ammunition bearer in an infantry mortar platoon, was assigned the duty of transporting ammunition to his gun during an attack by three enemy tanks approaching from the rear. Private Coyle courageously performed his duties until killed by the ignition of ammunition in his arms, exploded by enemy shell-fire. The unselfish devotion to duty displayed by him in the face of almost certain death served as an inspiration to the other members of his platoon.”

A student of both O’Dea and Franklin High Schools, Private Coyle had been overseas for one year at the time of his death. He enlisted in the army the day after his graduation from Franklin. 

In 1948, Private Coyle’s remains were brought back to Seattle from the Philippines as part of the federal repatriation program. A rosary service was held in his memory on July 30, 1948, at St. Peter’s Church. A Requiem Mass followed on August 1, and Private Coyle was laid to rest the same day at Calvary Cemetery. At the time of his death, he was survived by his parents, two brothers—Hugh and John Coyle, both medically discharged from the Army—and a sister, Mrs. Anne Blane of Seattle.

The Battle on Luzon: The 161st Infantry Regiment’s Role

Pfc. Coyle was a member of the 161st Infantry Regiment, part of the famed 25th “Tropic Lightning” Division. The veteran regiment of men from Washington State was battle-tested from earlier campaigns in Guadalcanal and the Northern Solomons. On 9 January 1945 the Sixth Army landed at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. The 25th Division was initially held in reserve prior to  being assigned to the I Corps. Interestingly, this was a return to Luzon for the unit. 46 years earlier, when it was still designated as the 1st Washington Volunteer Infantry, it fought against the Filipinos in the Philippine-American War. Unlike that previous generation, the 161st was now there in a fight to liberate them from Japanese occupation. 

On January 17, 1945, the 161st entered the fight on Luzon. Their mission that day was to advance on and secure the village of Binalonan. The operation proved to be one of the most intense and costly battles of the Luzon campaign. The 161st, along with support from Company C of the 716th Tank Battalion, faced a vicious Japanese counterattack. That afternoon, six enemy tanks rolled through the streets, spraying gunfire and causing chaos. American forces responded with bazookas and anti-tank grenades, eventually halting the attack and securing a foothold in the town by nightfall. Private Coyle was killed running ammunition during the peak of fighting this engagement. 

An M4A3 Sherman medium tank named “Classy Peg” passes the hulk of a destroyed Japanese tank on Luzon on January 17, 1945.

By the following day, January 18, the 161st Infantry had cleared Binalonan completely, killing over 250 enemy soldiers and destroying or capturing nine tanks and multiple artillery pieces. Despite the success, the cost was high: 19 American soldiers were killed, including Pfc. Coyle, and 66 others wounded. The 161st’s efforts not only paved the way for further advances on Luzon but also helped secure vital transportation routes, tightening the Allied grip on the island.

The actions of Seattle’s Thomas J. Coyle are a testament to the selfless courage and sacrifice of the young Americans who served during World War II. 

In memory of:

Thomas J. Coyle 

April 2 1924 - January 17 1945

Sources:

Seattle Times July 19 1945 p. 3

Seattle Times July 29 1948 p. 27

HistoryLink.org Essay 10021

WWII History Magazine October 2017 Volume 16, No. 6 p. 32-40

United States Army in World War II The War in the Pacific Triumph in the Philippines by Robert Ross Smith P. 155-156

History of the 1-161st Infantry Battalion mil.wa.gov