McCool Remembered as Hero, Democratic Leader

By Ed Friedrich of the Kitsap Sun
Monday, March 10, 2008
Used by permission

Richard McCool Jr., a World War II hero and Kitsap Democratic Party leader, passed away last week.

The longtime Bainbridge Island resident died of natural causes Wednesday morning at Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton with his wife and three children by his side, according to an online obituary at Cook Family Funeral Home. He was 86.

McCool and his wife, Carole Elaine, moved to Bainbridge Island in 1974 after a 30-year Navy career. Most of the couple's Kitsap friends never learned that on Dec. 18, 1945, President Harry S. Truman had pinned McCool with the military's highest honor — the Medal of Honor.

"He was the most humble of men," said Fran Moyer of Seabeck, the couple's friend and chairwoman of the 35th District Democrats. "He did not ever want to be invited to a parade or anything like that because he could never think about himself as being a hero. The heroes were the men who gave their lives."

Fresh out of the U.S. Naval Academy in 1944, McCool opted for the chance to command an amphibious ship instead of being a junior officer on a larger vessel. He took charge of USS Landing Craft Support 122. It looked like a landing craft that brought soldiers ashore in invasions, but instead of having a troop ramp and blunt bow, the ship had a sharp bow and many weapons.

By June 10, 1944, it was in Okinawa protecting three destroyers. A Japanese plane bombed one of them, the USS William D. Porter, and LCS 122 rescued 99 of the sinking ship's crew. The next day, planes attacked Lt. McCool's ship. The crew shot one out of the air and hit a second, but it crashed about 8 feet below McCool on the conning tower. Of the 71 on board, 12 were killed and 23 injured, including the skipper, who suffered shrapnel wounds, burns and was knocked unconscious.

When McCool woke up, the ship was in flames, and he rallied his crew to fight the fire. After hearing that several men were trapped in the burning deckhouse, he went to the rescue and carried one badly wounded man to safety. He wound up spending two months in the hospital.

The Medal of Honor citation recognizes McCool for "saving the lives of many" and the "saving of his ship for further combat service."

"He always made the comment around the dinner table that the crew did everything he did, maybe some did more, but he was an officer of the United States Navy and that was what they were paying him to do," said son Rick of Gig Harbor. "It's a great honor and the family has always considered it that, but we've always taken his lead in not making a big stink about it."

After moving to Bainbridge, McCool became involved in politics, serving as chairman of the Kitsap County Democrats for two terms. He was a big supporter of the arts on Bainbridge and in Seattle. He received a Maggie Award as one of the state's top Democrats and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kitsap Democrats. He was open-minded and easygoing, his friends said.

"No matter what the political atmosphere in the community or the county, he was always a voice for progressive polices," said Rick Smith, a longtime precinct committee person and former legislator. "He took care of the least among us and stood up for our civil rights and freedoms.

"He was calm, deliberate, highly respectful of other people's positions when he was chair, and it was a very comfortable form of leadership he provided. He was always willing to listen to everybody."

Moyer said that McCool, with his white beard, Oklahoma drawl and easy manner, reminded her of actor and singer Burl Ives.

McCool followed Dave Peterson, now the Kitsap County clerk, as the Democratic Party chairman, He respected the retired captain's desire to help people and do the right thing.

"He was a gentleman and he was modest," Peterson said. "He is very much a hero to me."

McCool is survived by his wife of 63 years, Carol Elaine, daughter Carolyn McCool of Vancouver, British Columbia, and sons Rick (Cindy) of Gig Harbor and John (Mary) of Indianola.

A TRIBUTE TO MARIE GREER - KCDW President 1967-1970

by Jo Fox Burr

Marie Greer died February 21st, 2008. She was born in Kansas in 1913 and moved to Bremerton in 1943 to marry Elwood Greer. She lived 94 incredibly active productive eventful years and was alert to the end. Imagine the ride!

Sinclair Park was one of several Bremerton communities built to house wartime workers' families. As one of its first residents, it played a significant role in Marie's life. While these communities were all supposed to be integrated, nearly all families assigned to Sinclair Park were African American. Perhaps this was not all bad, though, as the community it created gave birth to many organizations still existing today and in which Marie became involved. At Marie's memorial service on
March 1, many there could trace the roots of their connections to each other and to Marie from Sinclair Park.

As Marie had been a member of the Kitsap County Democratic Women for over 50 years, I spoke on behalf of KCDW as president about her at this service. I had collected information from others who knew her well, including her cherished friend Lillian Walker, who shared many of her adventures and undertakings for over 60 years. While the memories her friends shared had impressed me, listening to the testimony of others at this service who knew her as well left me deeply humbled by this woman.

The program obituary provided basic facts. She was an active member of many groups, including the NAACP. She was a charter member of the Carver Civic Club, a chapter of the National Assoc. of Colored Women's Clubs in which both she and Lillian served as officers. Though it claimed Marie to be a founding member of the YWCA, her pastor admitted she told him that was not true. Her early active participation, though, earned her equivalent recognition. No one could tell me if Marie was a KCDW founder. As she brought Lillian into KCDW in the 50's, I am tempted to say she was. However, from the service it seemed evident that her sense of integrity would not want me to claim something for her about which I was not sure.

The obituary provided the facts, but the service provided the sense of who she was. She had no hidden agendas. She told you what she thought whether you wanted to hear it or not. She was a woman of courage, incredible energy, and dedication. Given the causes to which she dedicated her life, it seemed significant to me that she had lived long enough to know that her Party would finally be nominating either a woman or a black man for President and she would be right to feel some pride in the part she played to bring this about.