World War II Honoree

Carl Raymond 'Jim' Gross

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Bloomington, Indiana

Honored By

Larry L. Harmon

Relationship

Stepson

SERGEANT; U.S. ARMY FINANCE CORPS. STATIONED AT U.S. ARMY HICKAM FIELD, HAWAII, WHEN THE JAPANESE ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR AND LOCAL MILITARY AIRFIELDS IN HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. SUSTAINED TWO WOUNDS DURING THE ATTACK. A JAPANESE MACHINE GUN BULLET PIERCED HIS SHOULDER. SUSTAINED A SHRAPNEL WOUND IN HIS LEG, AND RECEIVED PURPLE HEART MEDAL. PROMOTED TO STAFF SERGEANT. RETURNED HOME IN SEPTEMBER 1942 TO ATTEND OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL IN MIAMI, FLORIDA. WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. INITIAL ASSIGNMENT WAS IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, AT A U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS BASE AS A FINANCE OFFICER. SUBSEQUENTLY, DURING WWII, SERVED ELSEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES IN A SIMILAR CAPACITY WITH THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE, EVENTUALLY BEING PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN.