Charles Taylor Ross

Charles Taylor Ross

AMM1

I was born on December 12, 1918 in Bartholomew County, Indiana which is approximately 50 miles south of Indianapolis.

I enlisted in the Navy on December 8, 1941 and attended Boot Camp at Great Lakes. I went on to Navy Pier, Aircraft Engine School; Philadelphia N.A.A. Catapult/Arresting Gear School on Bremerton, and aboard the U.S.S. Nassau in mid-August, 1942.

My shipmates from Navy Pier and Philly were Jim Rotsart, Greg Sacho, Francis Roubik, and Sid Rowland. With our AMM3C ratings, we made up the original Arresting Gear Crew. Our CPO was old Yorktown vet, Tony Tulare, who taught us all about "Feather Merchant Humility".

After some months passed, Sacho, Roubik and Rotsart transferred. Sid Rowland and I got our AMM1c ratings in 1943, and both left the Nassau in January 1945. The replacements included: Lee Windom, F. A. Reece, E. J. Gonzales, E. A. Norman, E. A. Phillips and Blair Ingrahm.

Of all our campaigns, the Gilbert Island lies deepest. My shipmate and close friend, Greg Sacho, yeoman 1c in the air office, was offered a promotion to Chief and transferred to the Liscombe Bay while at Pearl. Soon after our task force left for the Gilberts. On that morning in November, the shelling of Tarawa was like a giant thunderstorm without wind or rain. And, of course, the largest flash was the Liscombe Bay, after being hit by a Japanese torpedo. (Records indicate that the Nassau and Liscombe Bay switched positions during the day's first watch 2400-0400).

Another issue about Tarawa was this was our first experience with the F6 Hellcat, a faster stall and heavier than aircraft we had been landing. We changed our deck pendants (cables) from 5/8" to 3/4" diameter. We averaged only 6 landings per cable before having to replace them! However, we did not have a single accident, in spite of the relative calm sea and lack of wind.

I also cannot forget Francis "Cash" Register at Attu. He was flying a FM2 and spotted last plane back on the starboard quarter. All the planes had left, and Cash could not get his engine started. He was furious. After placing a heat houser around the engine, it finally started. (Cash did not make it back.)

My last note — I have often wondered what happened to the heavy cruisers Minneapolis and Pensacola. In early January 1943, we were trying to get these damaged ships to a big floating dry-dock in the Fiji Islands. The Minnie had her bow shot off at #1 gun turret and the Pennsacola had taken a torpedo at her starboard quarter while trying to prevent the Japs from getting reinforcements into the Canal. After several days of zig zagging at 5-6 knots, the Minnie started taking salt water in her turbines, and both ships dropped out of our task force. We proceeded on to the Fiji's.

I was discharged from the Navy on October 10, 1945. I did a reserve hitch from 1948-1952, including two-week cruises on a yearly basis.

I married Theresa Diubaldo on October 10, 1953. We have four children: Jean, Judy, Betsy and Andrew. We also have seven grandchildren.

My life on the Nassau was incredible, exciting, dangerous, a learning experience and a treasure of memories.