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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.
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room where he was stationed filled with smoke and steam, he ordered his men to leave and continued servicing the dynamo himself until being blinded and falling unconscious. Upon being rescued and resuscitated, he went back to secure the forward dynamo, then worked in the aft dynamo room until losing
683:
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 7 December 1941. When his station in the forward dynamo room of the U.S.S. Nevada became almost
444:— published in 1980. Ross attended the 50th anniversary ceremonies at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1991, during which Ross was given the honor of introducing President George H. W. Bush. Ross also participated in the dedication of a memorial to his old ship, the USS
374:
Despite his impaired eyesight, Ross refused hospitalization and instead helped with rescue efforts. He entered a hospital three days after the attack, and his vision returned to normal after three weeks. He returned to
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358:. Ross distinguished himself by assuming responsibility to furnish power to get the ship underway — the only battleship to do so during the Japanese attack. When the forward
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in
November 1954. Upon his retirement from active duty in July 1956, after twenty-seven years' of service aboard every type of surface ship then afloat, he was promoted to
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consciousness a second time due to exhaustion. After waking, he again returned to his duties until
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at its conclusion. He again received promotion to lieutenant commander in 1949 and to
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Ross was promoted to chief warrant machinist in March 1942 and was commissioned an
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on April 18, 1942, becoming the first person to receive the medal in World War II.
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455:, on May 27, 1992, at age 81. His ashes were scattered at sea over the USS
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of World War II. This award was made for his actions during the
Japanese
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He wrote a book about his fellow Medal of Honor recipients with ties to
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217:(December 8, 1910 – May 27, 1992) was an officer of the
257:, first in his class and was assigned to the transport ship
912:"Gravesite of Medal of Honor recipient Donald Kirby Ross"
390:in June 1942. Later in the war, he also served on
327:machinist in October 1940, and was assigned to the
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19:For the public-interest lawyer and advocate, see
820:"Medal of Honor Recipients - World War II (M–S)"
679:Ross' official Medal of Honor citation reads:
998:World War II recipients of the Medal of Honor
828:United States Army Center of Military History
783:"Captain Donald Kirby Ross, USN, (1910–1992)"
8:
988:United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients
978:United States Navy personnel of World War II
290:in 1931. Advancing through the ranks on the
16:US Navy Medal of Honor recipient (1910–1992)
861:"Capt. Donald Ross, 81; Won Medal of Honor"
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87:ashes were scattered at sea over the USS
941:Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients
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429:After leaving the Navy, Ross settled in
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405:He rose steadily in temporary rank to
346:During the December 7, 1941, Japanese
282:, Ross saw his first action (with the
237:Ross was born on December 8, 1910, in
885:Ross, Donald K.; Ross, Helen (1980).
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744:Official website of USS ROSS (DDG 71)
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791:Naval History & Heritage Command
746:. United States Navy. Archived from
409:by the end of the war, reverting to
793:. December 10, 2000. Archived from
421:on the basis of his combat awards.
1013:People from Lincoln County, Kansas
830:. December 3, 2010. Archived from
241:. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in
42:Lieutenant Donald K. Ross, c. 1944
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787:Online Library of Selected Images
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695:0755: The Heroes of Pearl Harbor
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342:World War II and post-war career
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451:Ross died of a heart attack in
354:was badly damaged by bombs and
1018:Military personnel from Kansas
667:National Defense Service Medal
634:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
627:American Defense Service Medal
1:
1008:20th-century American writers
888:Washington State Men of Valor
462:In 1997, the guided-missile
993:United States Navy officers
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655:World War II Victory Medal
323:, he attained the rank of
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1003:American military writers
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271:While serving aboard the
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824:Medal of Honor Citations
473:was named in his honor.
431:Port Orchard, Washington
100:United States of America
675:Medal of Honor citation
646:European-African-Middle
615:Navy Commendation Medal
247:Naval Station San Diego
221:who received the first
983:Attack on Pearl Harbor
891:. Coffee Break Press.
697:, Rokalu Press, 1988.
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648:Eastern Campaign Medal
425:Later years and legacy
348:attack on Pearl Harbor
227:attack on Pearl Harbor
171:Attack on Pearl Harbor
910:Sterner, C. Douglas.
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660:Navy Occupation Medal
453:Bremerton, Washington
126:Years of service
77:Bremerton, Washington
407:lieutenant commander
396:landings at Normandy
630:with "FLEET" clasp
914:. HomeofHeroes.com
663:with "ASIA" clasp
219:United States Navy
176:Battle of Normandy
120:United States Navy
834:on April 30, 2008
750:on April 27, 2011
693:Ross, Donald K.
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620:Second Nicaraguan
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255:Norfolk, Virginia
215:Donald Kirby Ross
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181:Operation Dragoon
30:Donald Kirby Ross
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937:"Donald K. Ross"
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58:December 8, 1910
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249:. He completed
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948:. Retrieved
945:Find a Grave
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916:. Retrieved
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869:. Retrieved
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836:. Retrieved
832:the original
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799:. Retrieved
795:the original
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752:. Retrieved
748:the original
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694:
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682:
678:
608:Purple Heart
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442:Men of Valor
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284:U.S. Marines
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264:(AP-1) on a
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233:Early career
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207:Purple Heart
166:World War II
162:Battles/wars
154:
88:
72:(1992-05-27)
70:May 27, 1992
973:1992 deaths
968:1910 births
394:during the
319:Minneapolis
292:minesweeper
962:Categories
950:2008-02-20
918:2008-09-12
871:2008-09-12
740:"Namesake"
717:References
637:with five
438:Washington
411:lieutenant
329:battleship
253:School at
96:Allegiance
54:1910-12-08
467:USS
464:destroyer
415:commander
356:torpedoes
332:USS
317:USS
306:USS
303:destroyer
295:USS
288:Nicaragua
276:USS
261:Henderson
259:USS
229:in 1941.
153:USS
129:1929–1956
689:See also
106:Service/
897:6922499
838:May 26,
801:May 26,
754:May 26,
419:captain
369:beached
314:cruiser
308:Simpson
143:Captain
895:
477:Awards
457:Nevada
446:Nevada
392:Nevada
388:ensign
377:Nevada
365:Nevada
360:dynamo
352:Nevada
334:Nevada
278:Relief
189:Awards
155:Nevada
117:
108:branch
89:Nevada
83:Buried
639:stars
297:Brant
286:) in
266:China
893:OCLC
840:2011
803:2011
756:2011
469:Ross
398:and
367:was
312:and
149:Unit
134:Rank
67:Died
48:Born
964::
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863:.
848:^
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