World War II Honoree

Vance Everett Cross

Hometown

Athens, Ohio

Honored By

A Grateful American

AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AIR TRAINING PLAN, HELD THE RANK OF FLYING OFFICER AND SERVED AS A PILOT IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE. ENLISTED ON NOVEMBER 20, 1941 AT WINDSOR, ONTARIO. EARNED HIS PILOT'S FLYING BADGE AT NO. 13 SERVICE FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL, ST. HUBERT, QUEBEC ON NOVEMBER 20, 1942. RECEIVED HIS COMMISSION AS A PILOT OFFICER ON JULY 20, 1943. SERVED AT NO. 1 GENERAL RECONNAISSANCE SCHOOL, SUMMERSIDE, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND AND COMPLETED A PHOTO RECONNAISSANCE COURSE WITH NO. 8 OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT AT ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION, FRASERBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE, SCOTLAND. KILLED IN ACTION AT THE AGE OF 23 WHILE ATTACHED TO NO. 681 SQUADRON, ROYAL AIR FORCE (COASTAL COMMAND) WHEN HE WAS LOST OVER BURMA DURING A PHOTO RECONNAISSANCE MISSION ON MARCH 23, 1944. COMMEMORATED ON COLUMN 441 AT THE SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, SINGAPORE.