USS COLE is the first warship named for SergeantDarrell S. Cole, USMC (1920-1945). Sergeant Cole was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his conspicuous gallantry in the campaign at Iwo Jima. Sergeant Cole was enlisted in to the Marine Corps originally as a Bugler; this proved to be some what a slow pace and demoralizing rating due to him joining a fighting unit to fight. . He had applied for a change in rating, but was refused due to the shortage of buglers. He did get is wish at Guadalcanal for the first American offensive of World War II, where he had an opportunity to fill in as a Machine Gunner in the situation that then a normal gunner is incapacitated.
During the the months that followed Guadalcanal and Marianas campaigns, he resubmitted his request for a change of rating. This time his request was approved.
English: A pair of bunkers on Iwo Jima left over f...
Sergeant Darrell S. Cole, USMCR, Medal of Honor re...
080515-UKA-COLE-027He was promoted Corporal 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 were he single handedly destroyed five Japanese machine gun encampments. Sergeant Cole only returned to his own lines to resupply with grenades but he was subsequently killed when returning to his line when the operation was thought to be complete.
It Is with resourceful and selflessness that one of the navy's most versitle craft received his name sake. The USS Cole or DDG These fast warships provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities, and can operate independently or as part of carrier battle groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups while still maintaining maximum operation ional capabilities. Technological advances in the past 30 years have warranted a new class of destroyers that would capitalize from data gained over the...