On May 1, 1994, the James E. Coffey Post 3 celebrated its annual memorial mass dedicated to the post namesake, Pvt. James E. Coffey at St. Louis De Gonzague Catholic church on West Hollis St. At that mass, the new commander of the post, Gary Johnson, gave the following speech.
"After the Memorial Day parade in 1919, a group of WWI veterans met at the National Guard Armory and formed a local chapter of a new veterans organization called the American Legion. A special committee was named to ascertain who was the first Nashua boy to be killed in WWI. After considerable correspondence and much research, the committee reported that Pvt. James E. Coffey was the first to die, although several other Nashua boys died later that same day. The group then named their organization The James E. Coffey Post 3, American Legion of Nashua, N.H.
James E. Coffey was born in Nashua on April 22, 1896, a son of Daniel J. and Catherine Dillon Coffey. He was educated in the schools of Nashua and attended St. Patrick's Catholic church. He enlisted at the outbreak of WWI 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 leadership of Major General Clarence R. Edwards.
James Coffey was killed in action 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 that included gas shells. The Nashua youth was a victim of the 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, the Purple Heart and citations from General John J. Pershing, President Woodrow Wilson, and the president of France. Private Coffey was buried in St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Moiselle, France.
For 74 years, the officers and members of the James E. Coffey Post 3, American Legion have attended a memorial mass for James E. Coffey on the Sunday closest to the day of his death, May 10. For many years this date has conflicted with Mothers Day and not willing to interfere with that important day, the mass is being held a week earlier. Father Roland, on behalf of the officers and members of James E. Coffey Post 3, I thank you and the parishioners of St. Louis De Gonzague for welcoming us in your beautiful church to celebrate this 75th Memorial Mass for James E. Coffey."
