Auxiliarist Honors Two Medal of Honor Recipients at Valley Forge
By Louis DiGiusto - DSO-PA 1SR
OU DILEO, a musician with “The
Commodore’s Own", the U.S. Coast
Guard Auxiliary Band has served over
the past few years playing “Taps” at numerous official Coast Guard and military ceremonies including the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, the Alexander Hamilton Memorial in New York, the Gettysburg National Battlefield and this summer, the re-dedication of the Douglas Munro Memorial at Valley Forge.
Commander Doug Sheehan, USCG (Ret) the nephew of Signalman First Class Douglas
Munro (the sole Medal of Honor recipient in the history of the Coast Guard) served as
Chairman of the Munro re-dedication and requested the support of our D1SR Public
Affairs Team for the ceremony. I had been assisting CDR Sheehan as requested by the
Coast Guard.
Freedoms Foundation as part of its mission honors Medal of Honor recipients from all 50 states at its 45-acre Medal of Honor Grove at Valley Forge. Coast Guard Auxiliarists from D5N and D1SR participated in the re-dedication of the Munro Memorial Fountain. DCO Barry Kyper, of D5N as keynote speaker focused on Signalman Douglas Munro through his gallant rescue of 500 Marines under enemy fire at Guadalcanal on 27 September, 1942 truly exemplified the core Coast Guard values of “Honor,” “Respect,” and “Devotion to Duty.” “Each member of Team Coast Guard strives to serve by those values on every mission,” he said.
Commander Sheehan underscored the theme of “Volunteerism” in his dedication of the Munro memorial. “Signalman First Class Munro volunteered for the rescue mission in which he gave his life. The men and women of Team Coast Guard are volunteers, whether on active duty or Auxiliary service.
Earlier that day as we were getting ready for the ceremony, Lou and I were invited to tour the Medal of Honor grove. The Freedoms Foundation guide drove us in a golf cart through the state’s MOH memorials and Lou asked, “where is the memorial for the State of New York? I have a family member honored there.” The guide took us to the New York State grove and Lou found the memorial to his uncle, 1st LT Bernard Ray, U.S. Army, Medal of Honor recipient, WWII.
Lou told me the story; “my uncle was a platoon leader with the 8th Infantry Division and on 17 November, 1944 was leading his men in the Battle for Huertgen Forest in Germany. It was bitter cold and his Platoon was under intense enemy mortar and machine gun fire. The platoon became bogged down by a concertina wire barrier. My uncle knew they had to get through the barbed wire or the platoon would be wiped out. He took Bangalore torpedoes and detonators and on his own ran to the wire to clear the way. He was severely wounded, knew he had to clear the way for his men and detonated the charges at his own peril. The platoon then attacked the enemy and succeeded.” LT Ray was awarded the Medal of Honor for his self-sacrifice to save his soldiers.
It was a very meaningful day to pay tribute to two American heroes, Signalman First Class Douglas Munro and 1st LT Bernard Ray. I know Auxiliarist Lou DiLeo was proud to be wearing the Coast Guard uniform that day.
L