World War II Honoree

George E. Gross, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Central Islip, New York

Honored By

Michael McTiernan

He enlisted in the Navy Seabees on January 12, 1943. He was placed as a carpenter with the 515th Unit of the 6th and later the 27th Construction Battalions. He had boot training at Camp Perry, Virginia, and was next at Port Hueneme, California. He left for the South Pacific on November 11, 1943 and landed at Guadalcanal on December 3. He became a Storekeeper on board ship. Sickness hospitalized him overseas and in the United States. He returned to active duty on September 21, 1944, at Camp Parks, California and took further training at Port Hueneme. He sailed again for the Pacific Theatre of Operations on June 4, 1945 and landed at Okinawa. He worked as a carpenter and on November 14, sailed for home on the USS Diphda, landing at Portland, Oregon. He was discharged at Lido Beach on December 15, 1945.