Darrell S. Cole

Sergeant Darrell Samuel Cole (July 20, 1920 – February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the United States' highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his conspicuous gallantry at the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II.

Although he was originally assigned to play the bugle, Sergeant Cole repeatedly requested that his rating be changed from field musician to machine-gunner.

Although rated as a bugler he fought as a machine-gunner in several major campaigns of World War II including Guadalcanal, Tinian, and Saipan.

On his fourth request to change his rating to machine-gunner the request was approved 4 months before he was sent into combat again on Iwo Jima.

During the battle, Cole made a successful one-man attack against two gun emplacements impeding the advance of his company.

Upon returning to his squad, he was killed by an enemy grenade.

Darrell Cole was born July 20, 1920, in Esther (now part of Park Hills), Missouri.

He attended high school in Esther, graduating in 1938.

Before graduating, his main interests were sports; particularly basketball, hunting and photography.

He also learned to play the french horn which later led to him being assigned as a bugler.

After graduating from high school, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), where he became an assistant forestry clerk and assistant educational advisor for his company.

He left after one year and he went to Detroit, Michigan where he worked at a company that made engine gaskets.

On August 25, 1941, he enlisted in the Marine Corps.

Following United States Marine Corps Recruit Training at MCRD 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 with being a field musician because he had joined the Marine Corps to fight.

He applied for a change in rating to be a machine-gunner, but was refused due to the shortage of buglers.

After completing field music school, he was transferred to the 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division.

The Battle of Guadalcanal, was fought between August 7, 1942, and February 7, 1943, in the Pacific theatre of World War II and was the first major offensive launched by allied forces against the Empire of Japan.

Cole arrived on Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942, for the first American offensive of World War II; and his first opportunity to fill in as a machine-gunner in the absence of the regular gunner.

After Guadalcanal, Cole served in several more battles throughout the Pacific theatre, including the battles of Kwajalein, Saipan and Tinian.

After completing his first overseas tour, he returned to the United States in February 1943 and was assigned to the First Battalion, 23rd Marines, 4th Marine Division at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

When his unit moved to California he again asked for relief as a field musician; and for permission to perform line duties.

Again, due to the shortage of buglers in the Marine Corps, his request was denied.

Throughout the course of World War II, until his death on Iwo Jima, Cole participated in several battles and campaigns as a machine-gunner and was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 1944.

The United States launched an assault on the main islands of Kwajalein in the south and Roi-Namur in the north from January 31, 1944, to February 3, 1944.

The Japanese defenders put up a stiff resistance though outnumbered and under-prepared.

Although the United States won the battle the determined defenses of Roi-Namur left only 51 Japanese survivors of an original garrison of 3,500.

During this engagement of the 4th Division Cole, again forsaking his bugle, stepped in as a machine-gunner.

When Cole was sent to fight with his unit in Saipan, he was assigned to a machine gun unit; and was 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 for "…his resolute leadership, indomitable fighting spirit and tenacious determination in the face of terrific opposition."

and was awarded the Purple Heart for the wounds he received.

When fighting began on the island of Tinian in the Mariana Islands from July 24 to August 1, 1944, Cole's unit was sent in a few days after the battle began.

Cole again led his squad ashore in the invasion and defeat of the neighboring islands of Tinian; and continued to build his reputation as "The Fighting Field Musician."

The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean, between June and November, 1944 during the Pacific War.

It was after the Marianas campaign, that he submitted a request for a change of rating for the third time.

Pointing out his experience and combat record, he stated that he felt he would be of more benefit to the Marine Corps performing line duties than those of field music.

This time his request was approved and he was redesignated Corporal and subsequently promoted to Sergeant in November 1944.

In 1996 the United States Navy named USS Cole (DDG-67), a destroyer, in his honor.

This destroyer was damaged in a suicide attack in Yemen but subsequently repaired and is currently in service.