The Introduction of a Bill to Name the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters

Floor Speech

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing a bill, at the request of the U.S. Coast Guard, to direct the General Services Administration to name the new U.S. Coast Guard headquarters, on the St. Elizabeths West Campus, the ``Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building.'' Signalman First Class Douglas Albert Munro is the U.S. Coast Guard's only Medal of Honor recipient. Signalman First Class Munro died heroically on Point Cruz, Guadalcanal after succeeding in his assignment, for which he had volunteered, to evacuate a detachment of Marines that had been overwhelmed by the enemy.

On September 27, 1942, after making preliminary plans for the evacuation of nearly 500 beleaguered Marines from Point Cruz, Guadalcanal, Signalman First Class Munro, under attack by enemy machineguns on the island, led five small boats toward the shore. As he closed onto the beach, he signaled the other boats to land. Then, in order to draw the enemy's fire from a western attack and protect the boat heavily loaded with the Marines, he placed his boat as a shield between the beachhead and the enemy. When the evacuation was nearly completed, Signalman First Class Munro was killed by enemy fire. Due to his outstanding leadership and willingness to sacrifice his own life, Signalman First Class Munro and his fellow members of the U.S. Coast Guard undoubtedly saved the lives of many service men that otherwise would have been killed in the line of duty.

Signalman First Class Munro was educated at South Cle Elum Grade School in Washington state, and graduated from Cle Elum High School in 1937. He attended Central Washington College of Education for a year and left to enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1939. He had an outstanding record as an enlisted man and was promoted rapidly through the various ratings to a Signalman First Class. In addition to being a Medal of Honor recipient, Signalman First Class Munro was also posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal, and was eligible for the American Defense Service Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

The new U.S. Coast Guard headquarters building, which I propose to be named for Signalman First Class Douglas A. Munro, will be 1.1 million square feet and will house up to 3,700 U.S. Coast Guard employees. The U.S. Coast Guard headquarters building represents the first phase of the eventual consolidation of 4.5 million square feet of office space scattered around the National Capital Region to the West Campus of the old St. Elizabeths Hospital, located in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The Department of Homeland Security headquarters consolidation construction project marks the first time the federal government will locate a federal agency east of the Anacostia River.

I believe that Signalman First Class Douglas A. Munro's outstanding service to his country and his unique status as the only member of the U.S. Coast Guard to earn the Medal of Honor ensure that it is particularly fitting to name the new U.S. Coast Guard headquarters the ``Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building.''

Source