About M Glenn Ross

Burials At Sea by USS Franklin, 1944

By Glenn | September 8, 2024 |

Undated page from USS Franklin decklog showing burial at sea on 31 October 1944 of those crewmembers killed the day before by a Kamikaze attack.

Recently, I received an email from the brother of a crew member killed during the 30 October 1944 Kamikaze attack on USS Franklin. He had always wanted to know the latitude and longitude of the ship when his brother was buried at sea. The ship was part of the US Navy’s Task Force 58, assigned…

USS HUNT Action Report-Aiding USS Franklin

By Glenn | August 16, 2024 |

(DD-674) Coming alongside USS Tarawa (CVS-40) to refuel at sea, 25 April 1959. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Catalog #: USN 1046540

USS HUNT’s action report describes how she came to the aid of USS FRANKLIN, ultimately rescuing 429 of FRANKLIN’s crew.

Remembering My Father On National Purple Heart Day

By Glenn | August 9, 2024 |

Shadow box conaining the Purple Heart, dog tag, Infantryman's combat badge and other ribbons from Sergeant Maury Ross. He saw combat while serving in the 102nd "Ozark" Infantry division in WWII.

Wednesday, August 7th, was National Purple Heart Day. I published this (lightly edited) post on my Facebook M Glenn Ross, Author page. Pictured is my father’s Purple Heart, which he was awarded after being wounded in combat in the European Theater of Operations. He was escorting three German POWs back from the front, and as…

Farrell L. Kluttz Narrated An Enjoyable Oral History

By Glenn | July 26, 2024 |

USS Franklin nearly obscured by smoke and flames after 19 March attack US Navy photo 80-G-49131

Farrell L. Kluttz left an entertaining oral history about his time in the US Navy.

2024 Admiral Nimitz Annual Conference

By Glenn | July 19, 2024 |

Admiral Nimitz visiting Guadalcanal shown holding a Samurai sword. The US Navy's ability to provide logistics was a key reason why the Japanese were defeated there.

The 2024 Admiral Nimitz Conference is now open for registration. I’m going! See you there!

How Action Reports Helped The US Navy Defeat The Japanese

By Glenn | July 13, 2024 |

Admiral Mitscher's one page endorsement of Task Group 58.2's action report of 4 July 1944. In it, he endorses three of four of the recommendations.

How The US Navy used feedback to win its battles against the Japanese.

USS Franklin Draws Its First Blood–July 4, 1944

By Glenn | July 3, 2024 |

A crowed deck of planes, pilots, and crews of Air Group 13 in October 1944. The first nine are Hellcat fighters, the ones in the back are Helldivers and Avengers. Franklin would be struck by a Kamikaze on 30 October 1944.

USS Franklin and Air Group 13 become combat veterans in a July 4 attack on Iwo Jima and nearby islands.

Some Points From The USS Franklin CV-13 War Damage Report

By Glenn | June 27, 2024 |

Two carriers burning after separate kamikaze strikes. USS Franklin (CV-13), at right, and USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) afire after being hit by Japanese kamikaze suicide planes, while operating off the Philippines on 30 October 1944. Photographed from USS Brush (DD-745). US Navy 80-G-326798

I was rummaging through the USS Franklin CV-13 War Damage Report today and noticed a few things. (The numbers before each paragraph below denote the section and number of the paragraph. Direct quotes are italicized.) The report was probably written in late 1945 or in 1946. Structural Damage 4-24 In the action of 19 March…