Richard Potts Ross Jr. (March 18, 1906 – October 6, 1990) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general.

[1] Upon the promotion to the rank of captain, Ross was appointed commanding officer of the Marine detachment aboard the battleship USS Colorado in August 1935 and spent almost two years with sea duties in Pacific Ocean.

Following the sinking of the Oklahoma by Japanese planes, he and his detachment were temporarily attached to the Marine barracks within Pearl Harbor Navy Yard until he was ordered for the instruction with a machine gun group of the 3rd Defense Battalion under the command of lieutenant colonel Robert H. Pepper.

Ross was promoted to the rank of major in January 1942 and then ordered to the newly activated 10th Defense Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blake in June 1942 at San Diego.

[5] Ross was ordered to the States in July 1943 and attached to the Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., as operations and training officer, Division of Plans and Policies under Brigadier General DeWitt Peck.

He spent almost one year in this capacity, before he was ordered back to the Pacific theater in June 1944 and attached to the 1st Marine Division under Major General William H. Rupertus at Russell Islands.

Ross took part in the bloody battle of Peleliu during the fall of 1944 and received the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" and Navy Presidential Unit Citation for his service there.

The First Marines suffered heavy casualties during the Peleliu campaign and Ross spent following months with the training of replacements on Pavuvu, Russell Islands.

Their goal was to make sure, that coal destined for Shanghai moved uninterrupted along the line, but activity of communists guerrilla units increased and marines outposts came under fire at several occasions.

[3][2] Upon his return stateside, Ross attended Command and General Staff Course at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico and following the graduation, he was ordered to Washington, D.C., for duty with Joint War Plans Committee, Navy Department.