ACH AND EVERY AUXILIARIST is very
proud of their opportunity to serve
and be a part of Team Coast Guard. We respect and value the trust and responsibility given to us by the U.S. Coast Guard to train and qualify to assist them in their multi-mission tasks.
For an Auxiliarist it never gets any better than when you are invited by the USCG to participate alongside them in an important task. I experienced that when the Coast Guard asked me to help them “pass the word” about the official biography of the sole Medal of Honor recipient in the history of the Coast Guard, Signalman Douglas Munro, who gave his life in the rescue of 500 Marines at Point Lunga, during the Battle for Guadalcanal during the early days of WWII in 1942.
27 SEPT this year will mark the 75th Anniversary of Signalman Munro’s heroic action in 1942 as chronicled in the official biography “Guardian of Guadalcanal” by Gary Williams. Munro was mortally wounded while providing covering fire during the evacuation of a Marine detachment under attack. Naming the sixth National Security Cutter in honor of Signalman Munro pays tribute to his heroism and legacy.
In assisting getting the word out about the Munro story, I had the privilege to work with Signalman Munro’s nephew, CDR Doug Sheehan USCG (Ret) and the author historian Gary Williams. Signalman Munro’s service and sacrifice reflect the core values of the United States Coast Guard, “Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty.”
There have been Coast Guard cutters since WWII that have been named in honor of Signalman Munro. The sixth National Security Cutter and the newest to join the fleet proudly bears the name Munro. I was very honored to be invited by CDR Sheehan to attend the Commissioning of WMSL 755 in Seattle earlier this year.
The event was presided over by Commandant ADM Zukunft who stressed that “National Security Cutters are state of the art platforms that can operate seamlessly within the Navy’s fleet and leverage our unique authorities to push our maritime borders thousands of miles beyond the homeland in order to ensure our national security and prosperity.”
Signalman Munro’s great niece, Julie Sheehan, the ship’s sponsor, ordered the ship to “come to life” alongside Munro’s commanding officer CAPT King. At that moment in the spirit of a great naval tradition, the Munro crew ran up the gangway, manned their positions and the Munro’s siren, bells, horns, radar, lights, all systems came to life.
USCGC Munro WMSL 755, Newest National Security Cutter, Joins the Fleet
Reported by Lou DiGiusto PA1, DSO-PA
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