Signalman First Class Douglas Albert Munro, A Coast Guardsman's Story
Signalman First Class Douglas Albert Munro, A Coast Guardsman's Story
Signalman First Class Douglas Albert Munro was born on October 11, 1919, in Vancouver, British Columbia. After his father was repatriated to the United States, Munro was raised in South Cle Elum, Washington, a small community that would shape his lifelong sense of duty and service.
An energetic and talented young man, Munro excelled both musically and athletically. He played the drums, trumpet, and harmonica, performing regularly with the Sons of the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps. He was also a Boy Scout and wrestled for Cle Elum High School, earning a reputation for discipline, teamwork, and quiet leadership.
Following his graduation, Munro enrolled at Central Washington College of Education but withdrew in 1939 as war in Europe made global conflict increasingly likely. Seeking a direct way to serve, he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. At his induction ceremony, he met Commander Raymond Evans. The two quickly formed a close friendship and would become known throughout their service as “the Gold Dust Twins.”
After completing training at Port Angeles Air Station, Munro was assigned to the USCGC Spencer. In 1941, when the Coast Guard was transferred from the Department of the Treasury to the Department of the Navy, Munro and Evans volunteered for reassignment aboard the USS Hunter Liggett. Their duties included troop transport, search-and-rescue operations, and ship-to-shore communications. Anticipating amphibious combat, Munro also helped train sailors in small-boat operations for the coming Guadalcanal campaign.
Munro later transferred to the USS McCawley, where he was responsible for ferrying troops and coordinating radio communications between ships and shore. He and Evans operated from a small Naval Operating Base on Guadalcanal, supporting logistics and conducting rescue missions in one of the war’s most contested environments.
On September 27, 1942, during the Battle of Guadalcanal, Signalman First Class Munro displayed extraordinary heroism during an engagement near the Matanikau River. Assigned to evacuate Marines who had been overrun by enemy forces, Munro directed landing craft under intense fire. When an evacuation boat became stranded on a sandbar, he maneuvered his craft into the line of enemy fire, positioning himself as a shield between the Marines and the attacking forces.
.png "Final Words of Signalman First Class Douglas Albert Munro – WWII Coast Guard Medal of Honor")
Operating a .30-caliber machine gun, Munro laid down suppressive fire, allowing the remaining boats to free themselves and withdraw safely. During this action, Munro was mortally wounded by enemy fire. As he collapsed, his final words were a question, not about himself, but about the men he had protected:
“Did they all get off?”
They did.
For his conspicuous gallantry and selfless sacrifice, Signalman First Class Douglas Albert Munro was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. He remains the only member of the United States Coast Guard to receive the nation’s highest military decoration.
Initially buried on Guadalcanal, Munro was repatriated in 1948. He now rests at Laurel Hill Memorial Park in Cle Elum, Washington, remembered not only for how he died, but for how faithfully he lived.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
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