USS Glennon (DD-620)

USS Glennon (DD-620) was a Gleaves-class destroyer, the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rear Admiral James H. Glennon, who was a recipient of the Navy Cross.

Service history

Glennon was launched on 26 August 1942 by the Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, of Kearny, New Jersey, sponsored by Miss Jeanne Lejeune Glennon (whose later surname was Hull), granddaughter of Admiral Glennon, and commissioned on 8 October 1942.

Convoy duty and operations in the Mediterranean

After shakedown training along the New England coast, Glennon guarded troops and supply convoys for the Allied invasion of Sicily, Italy. She was in action during the Amphibious Battle of Gela, fought from 9 to 15 July 1943.

Glennon continued to operate in the Mediterranean Sea and returned to New York on 3 December 1943. The destroyer then made two round-trip convoy escort voyages to the British Isles and one to Gibraltar. She arrived in New York from Gibraltar on 22 April 1944, and stood out of that port on 5 May with a task group which arrived at Belfast, Northern Ireland, on the 14th.

Invasion of Normandy and sinking

Assigned to Assault Force "U" of the Western Naval Task Force, she arrived in the Baie de la Seine, France, on 6 June. After patrolling around the bombardment group for submarines and fast German torpedo boats, she joined in gunfire support of troops ashore.

On 7 June, she fired 430 5-inch (127 mm) shells ashore in support of troops advancing north toward Quinéville.