To return to memories of the SS 320, click here.
To return to the main page of the SS 320, click here.

Service History of Philip Glennon

PHILIP THOMPSON GLENNON

Philip attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated in the class of 1940.   Upon graduation, Phil reported to CINCINNATI (CL6) in the Pacific, later deployed to the South Atlantic. In 1942, he attended Submarine School, followed by 9 war patrols in the Pacific in 2 submarines: GREENLING (SS 213) and FLASHER (SS 249). His duties varied from 1st Lieutenant to Executive Officer and on 4 patrols, he was Assistant Approach Officer during attacks. 

While serving in these submarines, they sank 31 ships, totaling 151,533 tons, including a cruiser, 3 destroyers and a gunboat. GREENLING also damaged an aircraft carrier. His skippers were awarded 7 Navy Crosses. He received 3 Silver Stars and a Combat Legion of Merit in lieu of a 4th Silver Star. The post war Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee, after examining Japanese records, officially credited FLASHER with sinking the largest tonnage of any U. S. submarine in World War II. Phil was aboard during all of these sinkings. Both FLASHER and GREENLING were awarded Presidential Unit Citations.

In post-war years, Phil had 6-1/2 years of ship command in BERGALL (SS 320), KEPPLER (DDE 765), TRUCKEE (AO 147) and Submarine Squadron 8. KEPPLER won the Battle Efficiency Pennant and TRUCKEE, the Battle Efficiency Pennant/Marjorie Sterrett Award. During his commands, he participated in the 1st Unitas Cruise, the Cuban Crisis (conducting 166 refuelings in 5 weeks) and a month-long submarine exercise, commanding 14 NATO submarines.

Shore Duty included: Staff of CINCLANTFLT, during which he planned a 28-ship Great Lakes cruise celebrating the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway; student at the Senior Naval War College; and Fleet Plans Officer for CINCPACFLT during the 1st two years of the Vietnam War.

Retiring in 1966, his 15 year civilian career was at Electric Boat as Chief of Planning and Deputy Program Manager for the construction of Attack and Missile Submarines, including the Tridents. He was active in civic affairs.

Phil married Dorothy Leunig in Perth, West Australia, in January, 1945. She joined him in San Francisco in October. The couple had 4 children between 1946 and 1959: Philip Jr., Charles, Richard and Ann. Phil and Dorrie were divorced in 1973. A year later, he married a Navy widow, Barbara Bunn. They lived happily in Mystic, CT until 1988 when they moved to Tega Cay, S.C., on beautiful Lake Wylie. Phil's 4 children and Barbara's 2 (Giles and Candace) are well situated and happily married. There are 6 grandchildren.