COOL DUDES I ADMIRE: DOUGLAS A. MUNRO

signalman first class douglas a. munro was the only member of the us coast guard to be awarded the medal of honor. on september 27th, 1942, munro was piloting a higgins boat during the battle of guadalcanal in the solomon islands. his objective during the battle was to ferry marines off the beachhead and drop them off at lunga point. under intense enemy fire where other ship pilots began to retreat, munro pushed on, providing cover & retrieving marines off the beachhead. as he pulled off the beach & still under enemy fire, munro spotted a higgins boat that ran aground. he managed to MANEUVER his boat into a place where the marines on board the beached vessel could board his vessel via an attached line between the two ships. once the ship was freed from shallow water, munro was struck in the base of his skull by gunfire.

a fellow guardsmen was able to get both ships to lunga point as munro lost consciousness. when the marines landed, munro REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS just long to enough to ask “did they get off?” he died shortly after being told the marines made it to safety. he was posthumously awarded the medal of honor as he was laid to rest at laurel hill memorial park in washington state.