Service News
Dale L. Gross, 19, of Waterloo, who is serving with a Twelfth air force B-25 bombardment group in Corsica, has been promoted to staff sergeant.
Flying as a tail gunner on the Billy Mitchell bomber, Sergeant Gross has participated in 33 combat missions with his group since he joined it five months ago. The missions consisted of attacks against the enemy’s system of supply and communication in southern France and northern Italy where the group has also given close support to Allied ground forces.
Entering the service June 17, 1943, Sergeant Gross received his armament and gunnery training at Denver, Colo., and Las Vegas, Nev. This was supplemented by further overseas training a Greenville, S. C., before he went overseas in July, 1944.
His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Gross, reside at 149 Madison street, as do his wife, Marlys, and daughter, Nancy Lee.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Sunday, January 21, 1945, Page 6
Service News
Staff Sgt. Dale L. Gross, 19, whose wife, Marlys, and 22-month-old daughter, Nancy Lee, live at 149 Madison street with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Gross, is serving as a tail gunner in the “most efficient” medium bombardment group in the Mediterranean theater of operations, according to a censor-approved story received here Tuesday.
During the last three months, his unit has set the bombing efficiency record of 85 per cent, referring to the percentage of bombs carried by the Mitchells to the target and actually dropped over the target area.
Leaving the United States in July, 1944, Sergeant Gross has earned the right to wear one gold overseas strip on the left sleeve of his uniform. He has been awarded a battle star for his European-African-Middle East theater ribbon. Before going overseas, he was stationed at Greenville, S. C., where he received further combat training. He has been in the army since June 17, 1943. He was formerly employed by the Rath Packing Co. here.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Tuesday, February 08, 1945, Page 11
Two More Waterloo Men Killed
Two Waterloo men in service were officially reported killed in action in the European theater of war, according to war department telegrams received by their relatives.
They are:
Staff Sgt. Dale L. Gross, 20, of 149 Madison street.
Pfc. Laurence C. Baish, Jr.¸ 22, of 1315 Lafayette street.
Sergeant Gross, 20, Waterloo bombardier who was previously reported missing in action over Italy as of Mar. 10, was killed in action on that date, according to a war department telegram received Wednesday by his wife, Marlys Gross. Mrs. Gross resides with her husband’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Gross, 149 Madison street.
Sergeant Gross entered service July 1, 1943, before which he was employed at Rath Packing Co.
Serving first as an aerial gunner on a B-25, he went overseas in July, 1944.
Gross came to Waterloo withhis parents 15 years ago. He was born at Garrison, Ia., Apr. 17, 1925. He attended West high school. On July 4, 1943, he married Marlys Duschen at Omaha, Neb.
Surviving are the wife and parents; a daughter, Nancy Lee, and a son, Michael, both at home; a brother, Sgt. Wayne Gross, serving in the Hawaiian islands; and the maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Corcoran, Dysart, Ia.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Thursday, June 21, 1945, Section Two, Page 20
Memorial Rites for Dale Gross Sunday
Memorial services for Staff Sergeant Dale L. Gross, who died April 23 of wounds received March 10 in northern Italy, will be at 3 p. m. Sunday in Linden Methodist church with the Rev. Frank Court, pastor, officiating. Mrs. Gross and children, Nancy and Michael, reside with her husband’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Gross, 308 Est 10th street.
Sergeant Gross has been posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and in addition he was holder of the citation of honor and Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters.
He had been serving as a bombardier on a B-25.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Thursday, September 06, 1945, Page 7 (photo included)
Sgt. Dale L. Gross is buried in Florence American Cemetery, Florence, Italy.
He served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 428th Bomb Squadron, 310th Bomb Group, Medium.
Source: abmc.gov
