Coast Guardsman Douglas Munro

[RoscoeTurner]

83 years ago today , Coast Guardsman Douglas Munro was Killed in Action providing suppressing fire for Marines on Guadalcanal, he was awarded the Medal of Honor…    

 

Douglas Albert Munro was born on October 11, 1919 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to James & Edith Munro, he had one sister.  His father was American and his mother was British, in 1922 the family moved to the US and Douglas was raised in South Cle Elum, Washington.  In 1939 he left college and enlisted in the Coast Guard, telling his sister he had chosen the Coast Guard because its primary mission was saving lives.

In mid-1941, Munro and his buddy Evans volunteered for reassignment to the attack transport USS Hunter Liggett, which in 1942 was supporting the Guadalcanal campaign.  Prior to the initial landings at Guadalcanal & Tulagi, Munro was posted to Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner's staff onboard USS McCawley. He was ordered to ferry Marines to shore during the third attack wave, then attach himself to a Marine unit to help manage ship-to-shore communications.  Afterwards Munro and Evans were among Coast Guard and Navy personnel who staffed Naval Operating Base (NOB) Cactus at Lunga Point on the northern coast of Guadalcanal.

On September 27, 1942, three companies of Marines were ordered to attack Japanese positions on the west side of the Matanikau River. Munro was placed in charge of two landing craft and eight Higgins boats tasked with transporting the Marines to their landing areas.  With the destroyer USS Monssen providing covering fire, the Marines landed and began moving inland towards its objective.  The Marines came under fierce attack from the Japanese and found themselves encircled on a hill and in danger of being overrun.  On USS Monssen, Puller ordered the Marines to fight their way to the shore with a signal lamp, the landing craft were instructed to return and extract the besieged Marines. Munro and Evans were asked if they would take charge of the extraction, to which Munro answered, "Hell yes!"
 

As the landing craft approached the beach, they came under heavy fire from Japanese Soldiers on a ridge, Munro used a .30 cal Lewis gun aboard his landing craft to direct suppressing fire against the Japanese positions as the other landing craft recovered the Marines. With Japanese soldiers advancing towards the beach, Munro moved his landing craft closer to shore to act as a shield.   Munro was shot in the head and lost consciousness while attempting to assist a stuck landing craft, which was ultimately freed. When they were out of range of Japanese guns, Munro briefly regained consciousness before succumbing to his wounds. According to Evans, his dying words were, "Did they get off?
 

Munro was buried on Guadalcanal the next day, Lt Colonel Puller nominated the Coast Guardsman for the Medal of Honor, which was endorsed by Admiral Halsey, President Roosevelt approved the decoration in May 1943.

The Medal of Honor was presented to Munro's parents on May 24, 1943 by President Roosevelt at the White House, the citation reads:

“For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action above and beyond the call of duty as Officer-in-Charge of a group of Higgins boats, engaged in the evacuation of a Battalion of Marines trapped by enemy Japanese forces at Point Cruz, Guadalcanal, on September 27, 1942. After making preliminary plans for the evacuation of nearly 500 beleaguered Marines, Munro, under constant risk of his life, daringly led five of his small craft toward the shore. As he closed the beach, he signaled the others to land, and then in order to draw the enemy's fire and protect the heavily loaded boats, he valiantly placed his craft with its two small guns as a shield between the beachhead and the Japanese. When the perilous task of evacuation was nearly completed, Munro was killed by enemy fire, but his crew, two of whom were wounded, carried on until the last boat had loaded and cleared the beach. By his outstanding leadership, expert planning, and dauntless devotion to duty, he and his courageous comrades undoubtedly saved the lives of many who otherwise would have perished. He gallantly gave up his life in defense of his country.”
 

To date, Munro is the only member of the US Coast Guard to have received the Medal of Honor.

His remains were recovered from Guadalcanal and buried at Laurel Hill Memorial Park in Cle Elum Washington in 1948.