This article was originally published on WHerMoments
Douglas Munro was part of the United States Coast Guard during World War II, and he found himself in the thick of the action. The sailor, just 22 years old, knew that the only way an entire Marine unit could be saved in the Pacific was if someone stepped up. They needed a leader — so he bravely put himself forward.
No surprise
Not everyone would be so willing to throw themselves into danger like that, especially in such a high-pressure situation. But for those who knew Munro, his actions that day didn’t come as much of a surprise.
After all, selflessness had been one of his defining character traits long before the conflict began.
Moving to America
Following his birth in the fall of 1919 Munro spent his first couple of years living in Vancouver, Canada.
Then his parents Edith and James opted for a change of scenery, packing their bags for the United States. The family went on to make a new home in Cle Elum, Washington.
Talented athlete
And as Munro got older, he really started to embrace whatever physical tasks came his way. Yes, the youngster often showed off his athleticism at school, proving his natural talent by excelling at various sports.
Still, it wouldn’t be fair to say that the future U.S. Coast Guardsman was only focused on himself during that period.
Living through the Great Depression
You see, despite the Great Depression continuing to grip the country, his father was able to retain his employment.
This in turn meant his clan avoided the financial hardships that blighted so many others in that difficult spell. Munro recognized their privileged position, and it prompted him to do something quite remarkable.
Helping the needy
As the weather got colder, Munro and one of his pals decided to venture into the woods and pick up some logs. Then, after slicing them into pieces, they dropped off the wood to households that didn’t have the money to buy coal.
What a lovely gesture! And as time went on, his drive to aid those in need showed no signs of abating.
A big decision
So that brings us to August 1939. With Europe on the brink of war, Munro was pretty sure that mandatory military call-ups were just around the corner in America.
Keeping that in mind, the young man decided to get ahead of the curve and apply to join the Coast Guard. It also gave him a chance to satisfy his adventurous urges.
“They save lives”
As for why Munro chose that particular branch of the armed forces, his sister provided a simple, yet powerful answer.
Speaking in a documentary about her sibling, Pat Sheehan said, “He was going to join the Coast Guard because he said, ‘They save lives.’” Given his own selflessness, it looked like the perfect fit.
A slow start
Anyway, Munro’s application was eventually accepted in September 1939 and he took on the position of apprentice seaman. But to say that things got off to a slow start would be a major understatement.
After arriving at Washington’s Air Station Port Angeles, he was tasked to complete several menial jobs, as there was no organized program of training arranged.
Meeting Raymond J. Evans
Mind you, those first few days weren’t all bad. For instance, Munro was introduced to a man who was to become one of his closest friends during that time. Raymond J. Evans had also just enlisted.
While they wouldn’t have known it at first, their lives were set to interconnect throughout the war.
The journey begins...
It all started on September 21. At that point, Munro and Evans were ordered to hop on board the USCGC Spencer.
Now the pair could finally learn what was required of the Coast Guard, as the vessel traveled to New York. It was set to take part in Atlantic “Neutrality Patrols.”
Quartermasters
During that trip, Munro and his pal became quartermasters. The pair were subsequently taught how to keep boat logs up to date, and given pointers on navigation.
Plus, they needed to ensure that the tools used on the main decks were in tip-top condition, too. It might not have been glamorous, but the jobs needed doing!
Eyeing a new position
Munro and Evans didn’t just settle for those roles, though. You see, the duo showed an interest in the signalman position.
Yet if they wanted to get it, they’d have to work extremely hard, as the job had a number of different requirements.
Learning the ropes
To become a signalman, recruits needed to familiarize themselves with Morse code: specifically, how to dispatch and obtain messages through blinker lights and telegraph machines.
They also had to do the same thing with signal flags, as well as mastering the ability to hide and reveal lines of communication.
Making the grade
Munro persevered, and was eventually rewarded for his efforts. Yes, he earned the rank of Signalman Third Class on the Spencer in September 1940.
Then, after moving to the USS Hunter Liggett with Evans the following year, the duo also tried their hand as landing boat coxswains.
America joins the war
While Munro and Evans were continuing to prove their usefulness, though, circumstances changed going into the winter of 1941. America joined the conflict after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and it began making plans to head to the Pacific region.
The pals were then split up, not knowing that they were destined to see each other again in very different circumstances.
In the thick of it
The next notable chapter in this tale unfolded in August 1942 with Munro now on board the USS McCawley, stationed off the Solomon Islands.
One of his missions included taking a group of soldiers to the shores of Tulagi via a landing boat. He then stayed on the sands with his signalman equipment as night drew in, tensely awaiting developments.
On the move again
As the hours passed, injured soldiers started to arrive on the beach, so Munro loaded them on his boat and headed back to the McCawley.
Yet this proved to be his last mission on the ship. He was soon moved to the island of Guadalcanal to connect with a “boat pool.”
Friends reunited
Once Munro got there, he discovered that Evans was in the same position as well. The pals stayed in hastily-built accommodation on Guadalcanal, and were certainly kept busy over the next few weeks.
Yep, they transported injured soldiers to nearby boats, saved pilots who crashed into the water, and carried vital provisions. But nothing could truly prepare them for what was coming.
The mission that changed everything...
Let’s set the scene. While American forces were occupying parts of Guadalcanal, they didn’t control the whole island. Their Japanese counterparts were still around, so concerted efforts were put into keeping them away from territory under U.S. control.
This led to a fact-finding mission on September 23, 1942, that also involved Lieutenant Colonel Lewis “Chesty” Puller’s troops.
Acting on a message
Following initial skirmishes, Puller’s men received some backup within a couple of days, ahead of a pivotal moment. You see, the soldiers sent out a communication which suggested they’d engaged in a fight inside Japanese territory.
As a result of that, a plan was put in place to support them via a beach landing.
Transporting the soldiers
And that’s where Munro came in. Yes, he led a number of landing ships to the beach, only to encounter a significant snag.
A reef was standing in the way of the drop-off point, which meant the Coast Guardsman had to change course. Once the soldiers’ boots hit the sand, they were roughly 100 yards away from their original intended landing-point.
It all started to go wrong
At that point, Munro and the rest of the ships went back to their original station. Job done, right? Well, not exactly. Some 60 minutes later, the soldiers who’d been transported were peppered by enemy artillery.
They were forced to retreat to the sandy shores, but they had no way to call for aid.
“HELP”
Nope, the soldiers weren’t carrying any radio equipment, so the situation was pretty dire.
Instead of giving up, though, some of the guys managed to create a sign on the banks using their shirts. This makeshift message spelled out in clothing simply read, “HELP.”
Munro got the message
Thankfully, the desperate message made its way back to Munro and his landing ships.
By this stage, the vessels were receiving fuel top-ups after the previous trip, as no one had expected them to be needed again so soon. But this process obviously stopped as soon as the gravity of the situation became clear.
Stepping up
With immediate action needed, Munro made a hugely significant decision. Realizing the danger that the soldiers were in, he put himself forward to lead the landing boats back to the shore once more.
Just as he had back in the Great Depression, the signalman was eager to offer his aid in the most desperate of circumstances.
Braving the storm
So off the ships went, barreling towards an infernal landing point.
It wasn’t long before Munro and company were in danger of being hit by stray bullets from the on-shore battle, with the peril becoming ever-greater as they neared the shore. As the vessels approached the beach, though, Munro did something extraordinary.
An unexpected shield
In an effort to give the soldiers the best chance of survival, Munro stationed his ships parallel to the shoreline, as close as possible to the retreating forces — as well as the advancing Japanese. They were effectively acting as a shield for the evacuees.
And as the vessels waited for the Marines, Evans and others provided cover with hails of gunfire. But would it be enough?
A successful escape?
It certainly looked that way. Thanks to Munro’s quick thinking, the soldiers poured onto the landing boats, bringing their injured comrades with them. Against all odds, it looked like they’d escape with their lives.
Yet before anyone could celebrate, an additional problem emerged. Remember that reef we mentioned earlier? Well, it hamstrung the Coast Guardsman again.
Trapped
Yep, one of the landing boats got caught on the reef, and couldn’t maneuver off it. The men on board were pretty much sitting ducks. Yikes!
After spotting their predicament, Munro moved his vessel next to them, once more putting the safety of others above himself. Then, the race was on.
Race against time
The soldiers on Munro’s boat hurriedly wrapped a tow rope around the trapped ship, all the while taking fire from Japanese positions. It was a precarious situation, to say the least!
Luckily, everything was in place within a few minutes, so the Coast Guardsman was able to haul the vessel off the reef. Surely that was the end of it?
A horrible twist
Unfortunately not. You see, as the two lagging ships finally started to get clear of the beach, Evans spotted something quite alarming.
A line of gunfire rippled the water’s surface, and was heading straight for Munro’s craft. He screamed at his friend to duck, yet the warning didn’t reach him in time.
The ultimate sacrifice
Tragically, Munro was hit by an enemy round. He collapsed to the floor, so Evans was forced to take the helm and pilot the vessel to safety.
But he couldn’t help his friend: the signalman died from his injuries soon after. Munro’s sacrifice ultimately saved an untold number of lives that day.
“Did they get off?”
Following Munro’s passing, a few other details came to light in a written message later sent by his commanding officer to the fallen hero’s mom and dad.
The note read, “Upon regaining consciousness, his only question was, ‘Did they get off?’ And so [he] died with a smile on his face and the full knowledge that he had successfully accomplished a dangerous mission.”
Remembering Munro
Yes, even in his last moments, Munro was more concerned about others than himself. That says it all, really. Selfless to the end. And his bravery wouldn’t be forgotten by those who saw it first-hand, either.
Lt. Col. Puller, who had managed to escape the beach with the other soldiers, was among them.
The Medal of Honor
Now, while Lt. Col. Puller went on to cement himself as a legendary figure with the Marines in the years to come, he was desperate for Munro’s heroics to be remembered.
So, the distinguished soldier put the Coast Guardsman’s name forward for the Medal of Honor. In case you didn’t know, that’s the most prestigious merit you can receive in the military.
Standing alone
No one, surely, would argue that Munro didn’t deserve it. Yet there’s something that makes this honor even more notable. Incredibly, he became the first member of the United States Coast Guard to be recognized this way.
And to this day, no other member of the USCG has been awarded a Medal of Honor.
An inspiration
Munro’s parents were handed the Medal of Honor by President Roosevelt himself, as they saluted their son’s achievement in May 1943.
Later that day, though, Munro’s mom Edith did something unexpected. Inspired by his heroics, she became the Coast Guard’s newest recruit!
Edith’s Coast Guard stint
After joining up, Edith would spend the next two years with the female arm of the Coast Guard, otherwise known as SPARS.
She managed one of the barracks by herself in Seattle, Washington, and finished up her time as a lieutenant in 1945.
Lasting tributes
But going back to Munro, the Coast Guard has done its part to honor his memory as well. For instance, one of the branch’s ships bears his name today. Plus, as if that wasn’t enough, its new base of operations has also been named after him.
They’re both worthy tributes to a great man, who has joined the ranks of the most celebrated — yet often unrecognized — wartime heroes.