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Charles Gross loved science, as evidenced by the fact that the first thing he included in his senior biography was the word “electricity”. During his four years at STC, he wrote about updated methods of teaching for the Tower Light and served as an editor for the newspaper as well.
When he enlisted, he spent time teaching mathematics at his boot camp in Alabama. Eventually he was sent overseas and ended up serving in the Pacific Ocean theater. He wrote to Dr. Tansil in 1943, “We are now in the Central Pacific area and it wouldn’t take much of a guess to pinpoint our position. There are towering volcanic mountains on both sides of us and the beautiful blue Pacific at our front door. The vegetaton grows luxuriantly, and at present, during the rainy season, all the fields, and trees, and lawns are greener than I thought they could ever get. You’d like it here I’m sure.”
He appreciated the beauty of his post, but reassured those back at STC that he’d “trade anyone all this just to be back in Baltimore”.
Gross served with the 41st Bomb Squadron and the last letter his mother received from him was written on January 14, 1944 from Tarawa.
He was listed as Missing In Action the following day.
Photo: Gross' 1941 Yearbook photo
Gross is on the right in this photo taken outside the barracks.
Charles served as a Second Lieutenant & Pilot on B-25G #42-64957, 820th Bomber Squadron, 41st Bomber Group, Medium, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Baltimore County, Maryland prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on November 22, 1941, prior to the war, at Camp Lee, Virginia. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Teacher and also as Single, without dependents.
B-25G #42-64957 took off on a bombing mission over Taroa Island, Marshall Islands which had a major Japanese airbase situated on it during World War II. Prior to arriving at the target B-25G #42-64957 was attacked and shot down by Japanese fighter aircraft and crashed into the sea. The entire crew was lost in this crash.
Charles was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-794401
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-25G #42-64957:
Adler, Carl J ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, PA
Anderson, James E ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, RI
Bourdon, George M ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, NY
Carter, Junnie G ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, SC
Gervasoni, Nicola G ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, CT
Gross, Charles A, Jr ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, MD
2Lt. Charles A. Gross was listed as Missing in Action. He is memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii.
2Lt. Charles A. Gross was awarded the Purple Heart.
2Lt. Charles A. Gross was awarded the Air Medal.