 Although rated as a bugler he fought as a machine-gunner in several major campaigns of World War II including Guadalcanal, Tinian, and Saipan.On his fourth request to change his rating to machine-gunner the request was approved 4 months before he was sent into combat again on Iwo Jima.During the battle, Cole made a successful one-man attack against two gun emplacements impeding the advance of his company.