Darrell Cole: The Marine Bugler Who Earned the Medal of Honor
by Matt Hill 21 hours ago
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Darrell Cole: The Marine Bugler Who Earned the Medal of Honor
“I joined to fight and was put blowing a bugle. There is a right way, and Marine Corps Way, naturally it’s easy to see which way we go,” said USMC Sgt. Darrell Cole.
In his formative years, Darrell Cole was a Sunday school leader, choir boy, and vagabond. But his actions in the moments that would ultimately end his life made him an American hero and Medal of Honor recipient.
Cole’s Early Life
Darrell Cole was born on 20 July 1920 in Flat River, Missouri. According to his diary, he had “blond hair, blue eyes and was fair of complexion.” His hobbies included “photography, swimming, roller-skating, bowling, reading, and music.” He enjoyed songs of the time such as Wait for Me Mary, Moonlight Becomes You, Stardust, White Cliffs of Dover, and Intermezzo.
According to the Daily Journal Online, which did an incredible story on Cole’s life and his journal entries, on 10 May 1943, Cole began putting to paper his account of the Battle of Guadalcanal and the events leading up to it. Cole’s own words are highlighted in this excerpt from his diary:
https://sofrep.com/news/darrell-cole-from-marine-bugler-to-medal-of-honor/
