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June 08, 2006
Happy 10th Birthday, USS Cole!!
And she set sail from Norfolk today ~ back to the fleet. How great is that? But wait until you hear the story of the Marine behind the ship's name...
USS COLE (DDG 67) is the first warship named for Sergeant Darrell S. Cole, USMC (1920-1945). Sergeant Cole was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his conspicuous gallantry in the campaign at Iwo Jima .
On August 25, 1941 , Cole enlisted in the Marine Corps for the duration of the National Emergency. Following boot camp at Parris Island , South Carolina , he was appointed to the Field Music School for training as a Marine Corps Field Musician (a bugler). He was unhappy in his role of Field Musician, because he had joined a fighting outfit to fight. He had applied for a change in rating, but was refused due to the shortage of buglers. He completed instruction and was transferred to the First Marine Regiment, First Marine Division. On August 7, 1942 , he reached the shores of Guadalcanal for the first American offensive of World War II, where he had an opportunity to fill in as a Machine Gunner in the absence of the regular gunner.
Cole completed his first overseas tour of duty and returned to the United States in February 1943 where he joined the First Batallion, Twenty-Third Marines, a part of the Fourth Marine Division at Camp Lejune , North Carolina . When the unit moved to California he again asked for relief as a Field Musician and for permission to perform line duties. Due to the shortage of buglers in the Marine Corps, his request was disapproved.
During the first engagement of the Fourth Division at Roi-Namur in the Kwajalein Atoll, Cole, again forsaking his bugle, went in to action as a Machine Gunner. Later, during the battle for Saipan , Cole was actually assigned to a machine gun unit and was even designated as a machine gun section leader. During the battle his squad leader was killed and Cole, although wounded, assumed command of the entire squad. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for "…his resolute leadership, indomitable fighting spirit and tenacious determination in the face of terrific opposition." He was also awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action.
A few days after the battle of Saipan , Cole again led his squad ashore in the invasion of the neighboring islands of Tinian . He continued to build his reputation as "The Fighting Field Musician."
After the Marianas campaigns, he resubmitted his request for a change of rating. This time his request was approved. He was redesignated Corporal "line" and was subsequently promoted to Sergeant in November 1944.
On February 19, 1945 , Sergeant Cole led his machine gun section ashore in the D-Day assault of Iwo Jima . Moving forward with the initial assault wave, a hail of fire from two enemy emplacements halted his section's advance. Sergeant Cole personally destroyed them with hand grenades. His unit continued to advance until pinned down for a second time by enemy fire from three Japanese gun emplacements. One of these emplacements was silenced by Cole's machine guns. When his machine guns jammed, armed only with a pistol and one hand grenade, Sergeant Cole made a one-man attack against the two remaining gun emplacements. Twice he returned to his own lines for additional grenades and continued the attack under fierce enemy fire until he had succeeded in destroying the enemy strong points.
Upon returning to his own squad, he was instantly killed by an enemy grenade. By his one-man attack and heroic self-sacrifice, Sergeant Cole enabled his company to move forward against the fortifications and attain their ultimate objective.
Why do these incredible men always have those sweet, baby faces? Fair Winds and Following Seas, USS Cole.
And Semper Fi.
Posted by tree hugging sister at June 8, 2006 07:09 PM
Comments
Awesome story, sis.
Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at June 8, 2006 10:10 PM
Neat!
I hadn't realized the Corps was so deperate for buglers.
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at June 9, 2006 07:49 AM
I'd never heard his story before...
Great tribute!
Posted by: Faith at June 9, 2006 08:01 AM
Well, Bing, you know they are not ones to toot their own horn......
Posted by: Crusader at June 9, 2006 08:56 AM
The buglers were part of a counter-intelligence program. You see, the Japanese were known use bugle calls to signal attacks and we needed machine gunning buglers to break the Japanese bugle codes.
I think at one time they sent a bugle call saying that the water purification plant at 4th Marine Division's headquarters was broken. Shortly thereafter, the Japanese buglers sent a message saying that a coded unit was short of water. They were able to learn that a banzai attack on Kwajalein was coming the next morning.
So you see, buglers were very important. :)
Posted by: Mike Rentner at June 9, 2006 09:25 AM
Oh, BLOW it out your...{8^P
I believe the Chinese in Korea snagged up some Japanese to do that very thing when they came across the Yalu.
Posted by: tree hugging sister at June 9, 2006 11:47 AM