Douglas Albert Munro

1919 - 1942  (22 years)

• Name	Douglas Albert Munro  [1]
  Born	11 Oct 1919	Vancouver, , British Columbia, Canada
  Gender	Male
  Died	27 Sep 1942	Point Cruz, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
  Buried	Cle Elum, Kittitas Co., Washington, USA   [1]
  	Cle Elum Cemetery
  Person ID	I5322	Munro
  Last Modified	23 Nov 2009

  
  

  Father	James Munro,   b. Est 1893,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Edith Fairey,   b. 16 Apr 1895, Liverpool, , Lancashire, England ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Married	19 Sep 1914	Vancouver, , British Columbia, Canada
  Family ID	F2193	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Douglas, a signalman first class of the U.S. Coast Guard, died heroically on Guadalcanal 27 Sep 1942, after successfully completing his voluntary assignment to evacuate a detachment of Marines from a point where enemy opposition developed beyond anticipated dimensions. His final words were, "Did we get them all off?" They had! He was only 22 years old. For this action, he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Roosevelt. He is the only member of the U.S. Coast Guard ever to have received this honor. Following is a copy of the citation: The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to DOUGLAS ALBERT MUNRO, SIGNALMAN FIRST CLASS, UNITED STATES COAST GUARD for service as set forth in the following CITATION: "For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action above and beyond the call of duty as Officer in Charge of a group of twenty-four 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 five hundred beleaguered Marines, MUNRO, under constant strafing by enemy machine guns on the island and at great 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." /s/ FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT Douglas was raised and educated in S. Cle Elum, Washington. His interests were the patterns of most young men. He loved to ski, swim and especially roam and camp in the mountains near his home. Douglas was a natural leader and he enjoyed working with others. He trained young boys in the drum and bugle corps and served as a Drum Major in high school and at Central Washington College of Education. In 1939, he left college to enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard, "because the Coast Guard is dedicated to saving lives," he told friends. He had an outstanding record and was promoted rapidly through the various ratings to signalman, first class. He was shot in the head and killed while evacuating 500 Marines who were pinned down by Japanese fire on a beach on Guadalcanal. In December 1970, then Secretary of Transportation, John A. Volpe eulogized Douglas in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the launching of the 378-foot cutter USSCGC MUNRO. A statue of Douglas was unveiled at the Coast Guard Recruit Training Center, Cape May, New Jersey, on 27 September 1989. The Training Center's main street, Munro Avenue and a recruit barracks, Munro Hall, were named after him. Ref: Clan Munro files - Munro, Douglas Albert Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA [1]

  
  

• Sources

  [S12] Clan Munro files - Monroe, Lloyd H., Lloyd H. Monroe, U.S. Coast Guard Training Center, Cape May, New Jersey - br ochure (Reliability: 3).