>From: "Ross H. Allmon" <rhallmon@prodigy.net>
>To: "Win Howard" <win_howard@hotmail.com>,
> "Tom Disabatino" <trekwrite@aol.com>, "Susan Allmon" <sallmon@aol.com>,
> "Stuart Allmon" <sallmon895@aol.com>, "Shirley Hart" <gemstar@flash.net>,
> "Sarah Allmon" <stallmon99@aol.com>,
> "Sandy L. Walraven" <walravensl@hotmail.com>,
> "Ruth Beauchamp" <beauchamp.r@worldnet.att.net>,
> "Rose Mary Slusser" <fadedrose@ev1.net>,
> "Rick Francona" <rick@francona.com>, "Pete Marvin" <marvinp@iopener.net>,
> "Pearl Baremor" <BFJ001@aol.com>, "Parks Williams" <parksw@flash.net>,
> "Nancy Sickler" <ngs@sunlink.net>, "Nadine Freeman" <oldpoop13@aol.com>,
> "Mary Ann Conrad" <maconrad@flash.net>,
> "Marsha Hernandez" <mlh5940@hotmail.com>,
> "Larry Chrislip" <larrychrislip@prodigy.net>,
> "L. O. Paslay" <jjpaslay@flash.net>, "Kris Henry" <KrisKool29@aol.com>,
> "Kevin Smith" <kds98d@timon.acu.edu>, "John Dickey" <johnwd307@aol.com>,
> "Jim Land" <hland@tecinfo.com>, "Jess Minton"
> <pd.minton@worldnet.att.net>,
> "Jerry Bayless" <jerrybayless@prodigy.net>,
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> "Jack Becker" <jacalbecker@prodigy.net>, "Ivan Philips"
> <ivanp4321@aol.com>,
> "George Jones" <gandajones@hargray.com>, "Don Hull" <hullent@aol.com>,
> "Dick Allmon" <dickallmon@aol.com>,
> "Dick & Jean Sunkle" <rjsunkle@digitalusa.net>,
> "Diana Foster" <fosterbnch@aol.com>, "Debbie Telford" <debsharp@msn.com>,
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> "C. W. Crawley" <credbird@earthlink.net>,
> "Bonnie Case" <Bonnie.Case@LonestarHealth.com>,
> "Bob Staib" <crstaib@prodigy.net>, "Bob Shaw" <rcshaw@skyenet.net>,
> "Bill O'Mary" <wlo84@juno.com>, "Bill Mcqueen" <mcqueen2@mindspring.com>,
> "Bill Cobb" <bgcobb@flash.net>, "Betty Hull" <ehull87657@aol.com>,
> "Betty Gilmore" <bgil@mindspring.com>, "Agnes Allmon" <IMZELDA2@aol.com>,
> "Gayle Smith" <gsmith@corporateofficecenters.com>
>Subject: Namesake of USS COLE.
>Some of you might already know this... Its one of those things you never
>see in the News.. good story though
>Namesake of USS COLE.
>Sergeant Darrell Samuel Cole, United States Marine Corps Reserve (Deceased)
>On August 25 ,1941, Cole enlisted in the Marine Corps for the duration of
>the National Emergency, and following a boot training at Parris Island,
>South Carolina, he was appointed to the Field Music School for training as
>a Marine Corps Field Music, the equivalent of a bugler.
>Completing instruction, he was transferred to the First Marine Regiment,
>First Marine Division, and on August 7, 1942, reached the shores of
>GUADALCANAL for the first American offensive of World War II.
>Not too happy in his role of field music when he had joined a fighting
>outfit to fight and after acquitting himself meritoriously as a machine
>gunner in the absence of the regular gunner, he applied for a change in
>rating, but was refused due to the shortage of buglers. Cole completed
>his first overseas tour of duty and returned to the United States in
>February 1943, where he joined First Battalion, Twenty-Third Marines, then
>forming as 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 Music and for permission to perform line duties, but was again
>refused due to the shortage of buglers in the Marine Corps.
>During the first engagement of the Fourth Division at ROI-NAMUR in the
>Kwajalein Atoll, Cole, again forsaking his bugle, went into action as a
>machine-gunner.
>Four months later, when the Division stormed ashore at SAIPAN, he had been
>assigned to a machine-gun unit. Because of his proven ability in combat,
>he was designated a machine gun section leader. During the battle when
>his squad leader was killed, Cole, although wounded,assumed command of the
>entire squad and acquitted himself in such a manner to be 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 Medal 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, where he continued to
>live up to his growing reputation as "The Fighting Field Music."
>After the Marianas campaigns he again requested a change of rating and
>this time his request was approved and 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, their
>advance was halted by a hail of fire from two Japanese emplacements which
>Sergeant Cole personally destroyed 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, but then jammed. Armed only with a pistol and one
>hand grenade, Sergeant Cole made a one-man attack against the two
>remaining positions. 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 Japanese strong point.
>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 fortifications and attain their ultimate
>objective.
>------------------------------------------------ "SEMPER FIDELIS"
>FOOTNOTE: AS A RESULT OF HIS HEROIC SELF-SACRIFICE ON 19 FEBRUARY 1945,
>SGT COLE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR. HE WAS 24 YEARS YOUNG..
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Nov 01 2000 - 21:37:49 PST