By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
This time of year is full of reasons and ways to honor those that have made the ultimate sacrifice so that Americans could be free. Beginning with Memorial Day, we solemnly gather and remember those of every branch of service who have, from the beginning of this nation fallen while serving.
As it pertains to WWII, often we remember the day that in our culture is referred to as The Longest Day, or D-Day. That is June 6, when we consider that fifty miles of the beaches of Normandy were invaded by 160,000 Allied soldiers, and against all odds with an unbelievably high casualty rate, the tide of the war was turned. On June 14, we celebrate Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of our symbol of freedom, the Stars and Stripes. Then comes the 4th of July, which will be especially remarkable this year as we have our 250th birthday in just a few days. So, as I was considering what to write for Soldier in this somewhat in-between time, I was so glad to come across a Greatest Generation story of the only member of the Coast Guard to ever receive the Medal of Honor, along with his memorable mom.
Douglas Munro was born in Vancouver, Canada, in 1919, and enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. His father was British, his mother was an American, and he grew up in the town of Cle Elum in Washington State. In that era, most of the time, “Coasties” stayed closer to the actual coasts of the U.S., but WWII was a different animal. In 1942, the U.S. had to face down the Japanese in the Solomon Islands in what was another epic battle of WWII—Guadalcanal.
Douglas Munro had a “battle buddy” that was the epitome of what we think of as brothers-in-arms. His name was Raymond Evans, and they volunteered to go rescue 500 Marines that were overrun by the Japanese. In a wooden boat under heavy fire, they managed to rescue all 500. At the moment they had gotten the last one to safety, Douglas Munro took a fatal shot to the neck. There was nothing that could be done, and he bled out. He regained consciousness long enough to ask if all the Marines were okay, found out that miraculously they were, smiled his last, and passed.
For his bravery, he was awarded the Medal of Freedom, which was given by FDR and accepted by his mother Edith. To this day he is the only Coast Guard member to have received it. When you consider that over 3500 other service members from the rest of the branches have received this award, you’ll understand how remarkable it is.
For all the buildings named after him, his honor with Marines, the Munro Day that is celebrated annually in Cle Elum, Washington, and more, what stuns me is that Edith, at the age of 48, and after having lost her son, enlisted in the SPARS, the women’s Coast Guard unit in order to serve her country and continue her son’s legacy. She served with distinction, received several awards herself, and is buried next to her son. This is what was done for us, by those who would never meet us on this side, for reasons that are becoming rarer and rarer. Let us never forget it.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
