Ross, Donald Kirby

Born December 8, 1910 in Beverly , Kansas.

In the U.S. Navy since June 1929. After being trained at a naval base in San Diego, he trained at a mechanics assistant school at the Norfolk Naval Base , after which he was assigned to the USS Henderson transport. Then he served on the USS Relief hospital ship , the USS Brant minesweeper , the USS Simpson destroyer , and the Minneapolis heavy cruiser.

In October 1940, he served in the rank of Warrant Officer in the engine room on the battleship Nevada .

During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Nevada battleship was heavily damaged by bombs and torpedoes, but since the battleship, unlike other ships, was not moored aboard to another ship, the ship's commander decided to move away from the pier and go to sea.

The fact that the ship gave the course was largely due to D. Ross, he started the car in the bow compartment, ordering the mechanics to leave the compartment, and he continued to serve it until he became blind and lost consciousness. Being saved, he continued to perform duties until the ship was thrown aground. Despite his impaired vision, Ross refused hospitalization, and participated in rescue operations. He entered the hospital only three days after the attack, where he restored his vision for three weeks, and then returned to the battleship.

Quote from the award sheet:

For outstanding behavior in his profession, exceptional courage and neglect of his own life during the attack on the fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by the Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. When it became unbearable due to smoke, steam and heat to stay in the forefront engine room of the Nevada battleship, the driver Ross ordered the team to leave the room and performed all duties personally until he was blinded and lost consciousness. Being saved and reanimated, he returned to the department, where he again lost consciousness from fatigue. Upon returning to consciousness, he remained in place until he was ordered to leave the department.

Original text

For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage and disregard of his own life during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. When his station in the forward dynamo room of the USS Nevada became almost untenable due to smoke, steam, and heat, Machinist Ross forced his men to leave that station and performed all the duties himself until blinded and unconscious. Upon being rescued and resuscitated, he returned and secured the forward dynamo room and proceeded to the after dynamo room where he was later again rendered unconscious by exhaustion. Again recovering consciousness he returned to his station where he remained until directed to abandon it.

On April 18, 1942 he was awarded the Medal of Honor , which was awarded to him by Admiral Chester Nimitz .

In June 1942 he received the rank of Ensign and then served on the battleship, which took part in the landing in Normandy and Southern France , and by the end of the war, Ross rose to the rank of lieutenant.

Continuing his service after the war, in November 1954 he received the rank of captain of the 2nd rank .

In June 1956 he was dismissed with the assignment of the rank of captain .

Having retired, he settled in the city of Port Orchard in the state of Washington, where he started a farm and lived with his wife and four children.

Co-authored with his wife, Helen wrote a book about the Knights of Honor Chevaliers living in Washington State, which was published in 1980. ^[3]

In 1991, attended the ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

He died on May 27, 1992 in Bremerton at the age of 81 from a heart attack.

His ashes were scattered over the sea in the place where the battleship Nevada was flooded in 1948.

In 1997, the destroyer Ross was named after him.

• Medal of Honor
• Purple Heart Medal