Herbert Gross was born in March 1917. He served in the 375th Squadron of the 308th Heavy Bomb Group of the Fourteenth Air Force [Annotator's Note: 375th Bombardment Squadron, 308th Bombardment Group, 14th Air Force] in the China-Burma-India under General Claire Chennault's command. Gross was born during World War 1. He was the seventh of eight siblings. His father was a tailor as was his grandfather. Gross' father emigrated from Poland. He was a skilled tailor and kept his family well cared for except for the worst of times. In the 1920s things were not very good. His father had two jobs and the older children tried to hold on to the family business. This condition was consistent throughout his father's life. His father was a very tender person. There was virtually no hitting in the family that Gross recollected. No bad things were going on. His mother had street smarts even though she had little formal education. She had a good sense of humor. As a result, Gross tried to bring humor to others during his life. At an early age, Gross learned of the Spanish-American War and its history. He and his siblings always enjoyed reading the newspaper. Gross, at the age of seven years old, would help some black movers by answering their phone to get them jobs. This was about the time that efforts were made to reduce child labor. He would make a quarter if the movers got the job that Gross had obtained by answering the phone for them. He also had helped at a second hand furniture store by watching over a toy stand. He received his first quarter for that job and celebrated the pay with his mother. She was not willing to accept the quarter from Gross but rather told him that it was his and to save it.

Herbert Gross recollects sending his sister off by train to the west coast when the bombing of Pearl Harbor was announced. The bombing by the Japanese was a terrible thing. President Roosevelt [Annotator's Note: President Franklin D. Roosevelt] had previously committed to not sending American boys overseas to fight so the young men never dreamed that they would be in the war. Gross was a volunteer fireman at the 280th Engine Company on Underhill Avenue at the time even though he had been a New York civil servant since 1937. Gross had signed up for Selective Service as I-A at 17 years old. Many young men volunteered after Pearl Harbor so Gross continued to think he would not be drafted. This was particularly true since he had been married for a year when Pearl Harbor was attacked. The couple had decided not to have a child until after the war. They had been contributing blood donations to the Red Cross.

After Pearl Harbor, Herbert Gross was drafted. He had a brief basic training program. By August 1942, he had started processing through Upton, New York then Miami, Florida and then Amarillo, Texas. He did not mind the travel because he was committed to being trained because the world was on fire with the war. His training was very hard because he never was athletic. He could run and jump, but he never could reach the level of others. Jumping tank pits was difficult for him. He remembers an officer helping him with the jump. He saw improvement every day in his abilities. The worst thing he would do in the Army was to leave the base without permission. He was one of the best students in school for the squadron. He was considered for Engineering Officer's School which is different from Officer Candidate School [Annotator's Note: In 1941, an Engineer Officer Candidate School, EOCS, was established at Fort Belvoir, Virginia and commissioned over 22,000 new second lieutenants during World War 2]. He was not selected. In training, Gross learned welding, electricity, and engines. He worked with mock-ups to learn how to perform the detailed work. The students also trained on radial engines of aircraft that were available at the training school. The students knew they would be working on airplanes. They were sent for a physical examination in order to be able to fly. Gross did not want to fly. His sergeant told him he would have to volunteer to fly but then he might flunk the test anyway. Gross passed the examination and reiterated to his sergeant that he did not want to fly. The sergeant got him an interview in personnel where he stated his position again. Personnel said he would have to sign a refusal form stating that he would not have flight training. Gross signed the forms and received a copy of the refusal acknowledgement. In March [Annotator's Note: March 1943], Gross completed basic training.

Herbert Gross had trained on B-17 [Annotator's Note: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber] bombers. His new assignment would be to train for six weeks on B-24 [Annotator's Note: Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber] familiarization in San Diego, California. He did well with the school. He assumed he would be a crew chief or mechanic on the line. The majority of the graduates went to Salt Lake City, Utah for assignment. The remainder of the graduates went to Laredo, Texas for aerial gunnery school. Gross was selected for the aerial gunnery school but he along with a few others went to the officer and indicated that he would not fly. The officer would not change the order so Gross went to Laredo. He excelled at repair of the .30 and .50 caliber guns on the bombers. He taught classes for a period there but then was sent to Salt Lake City for a short time. His name was selected for ship out to New Mexico. Even though he had a deviated septum which restricted his breathing, he was sent to phased training in New Mexico to fly and practice gunnery. He flew in fighters and B-17 bombers. He overcame his fear of flying. He was selected to be the tail gunner by default since he was the last man to join the ten man crew. Some of his fellow crewmen were memorable and some were not. They all learned aircraft identification including wingspan design. The Sperry ball turret adjusted the rate of fire and trajectory based on wingspan. They practiced with simulated guns with lights not bullets on the ground. A machine feedback would reveal how close tracking and hitting was for the gunner. The crew went to Kansas to practice in the bomber on not only gunnery but also bomb runs.

Herbert Gross and his fellow bomber crewmen received their plane in Kansas for ship out overseas. It was a desert paint scheme so they anticipated assignment to North Africa. En route through Alabama, there were mechanical problems with their aircraft so they landed in Tuskegee, Alabama despite the landing strip only being 3,500 feet long not the required 5,000 feet for normal landing operation. They landed safely. The crew went to Montgomery, Alabama and received a new B-24 [Annotator's Note: Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber] that they flew to Topeka, Kansas. In Topeka, they received a green B-24 so they knew they would not be going to North Africa. Heading next to Florida, they mustered with seven other planes and in preparation for take-off, the airplane captain opened the sealed orders and saw Gross' refusal of flying and flight pay. The plane they flew was called Vitamin P in recognition of all the states the crewmen came from. Gross indicates each state that comprises the initials of the aircraft name such as Vermont, Indiana, Texas, Arkansas, and so on to Pennsylvania. It took ten days to reach their destination in India.

After reaching India, Herbert Gross saw his plane reworked to bring it to standard for the CBI [Annotator's Note: the China-Burma-India Theater]. He flew to the northern border of India via Pakistan. There were about 50 airplanes involved in attempting to save Rangoon from the Japanese. Some of his fellow crewmen were lost on the first day's flight. [Annotator's Note: Gross becomes emotional at the memory of losing his fellow crewmen.] When he flew, he knew if he saw the bloom of antiaircraft that it was not a danger because they were not hit. One of the ball turret gunners was injured when he was caught in the turret and cut his head open. He only required stitches so he was not seriously hurt. The Vitamin P [Annotator's Note: Vitamin P was the name of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bmber Gross and his crew flew] was flown over the Hump so that it could be repaired in China. In December 1943, he landed in China. The landing was in the midst of a funeral for two bomber crews who were killed the preceding day. [Annotator's Note: Gross becomes emotional at the memory of the funeral.] Gross received the chest pack from the deceased tail gunner whose funeral he witnessed as he landed. It was a heavy burden to know that. Gross' unit [Annotator's Note: 375th Bombardment Squadron, 308th Bombardment Group, 14th Air Force] was initially based in Kweilin, China. The United States' troops were treated well by the Chinese at the air base. They made the beds, did the laundry and cleaned the latrines. There was never any talk about mission limitations. Originally, Gross and his 18 man crew was placed in a recreation hall for billeting. He later flew out of several other Chinese airbases. Gross flew 30 missions in the CBI. His crew did all the bomb loadings, gasoline loadings, preflight checks, 100 hour checks, but when it came to any problems or the 300 hour maintenance check, the plane was flown with a light crew back to India. The cycle back to the operational flight base included returning with gasoline, spare parts, tools, tires and so forth. In the tail gunner position, Gross could not see the bombs drop and with radio silence for most the entire mission, there was little communication. Radio silence was necessary because there were so many Japanese planes in the proximity. The Japanese were everywhere in the CBI. Until Saipan and Okinawa, the Allies were just holding off the Japanese in the CBI. This was particularly true after the fall of Burma since the Japanese held many of the coastal cities in Asia. Gross was ill and became injured during this part of his time in service.

On his 22nd mission, Herbert Gross bailed out over French Indochina in Japanese territory. It took eight days to walk back over the border. [Annotator's Note: Gross becomes emotional.] Gross' aircraft laid mines in Hong Kong harbor during a 60 foot bomb run above the sea. The mines were timed to detonate after several enemy ships went through. These were night missions. Gross knew that he would survive the war. He was never scared. Their aircraft also sought out Japanese convoys. The 22nd mission involved bombing Manila in the Philippines at sunrise. Rain persisted for several days and the mission was delayed. With the delays, there was a worry that the mission targets were discovered by the Japanese. An 11 ship Japanese convoy was then spotted so seven bombers were flown out to intercept the convoy. Tactics were used to attack the Japanese by air. Flying over the ocean the convoy was found but it had an enemy destroyer escorting it. For that mission, Gross was assigned to the nose guns. As the first plane to hit the convoy, Gross spotted two of his fellow aircraft being shot down. [Annotator's Note: Gross becomes emotional.] The enemy fire was heavy at Gross who fired back. A shell hit under Gross at his feet but missed him. The enemy shell caused the bullets in the bomber to ignite and cook off. [Annotator's Note: The term "cook off" means that the heat from fire ignites the powder in a shell and causes it to explode as if it had been fired from a weapon.] Gross' clothes ignited while he is in the forward turret and he screamed to have someone get him out. He was removed from the turret. His burned clothes were visible. All the navigation and hydraulic systems were destroyed by the incoming enemy fire. One engine was out and gasoline was being lost, but the pilot said he wanted to return to the area where the two American planes were shot down. The pilot wanted to drop a raft to the crewmen that survived. Avoiding a destroyer, the plane returned to the crash site but soon left the area afterward because the Vitamin P [Annotator's Note: Vitamin P was the name of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber Gross and his crew flew] was damaged and some of her crewmen were injured.

Herbert Gross has a vivid memory of an experience with the B-24 [Annotator's Note: Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber] empty spare fuel tank. The spare fuel tanks or Tokyo tanks were dumped as soon as the fuel was expended, because they were subject to ignite and explode if kept on the plane and hit by enemy fire. Previously, one empty Tokyo tank in the bomb bay was hung up and would not drop. After considerable effort, Gross was held by his shoulder straps to look and see what could be done to release the tank. Finally, after the continuing effort the tank dropped. This was on the way to the bomb run on the convoy. To transfer fuel on the B-24 Liberator, there were dials to channel the fuel to the engines. Gross hated the job of transferring fuel, but he did it.

On the mission to bomb Manila, Herbert Gross' B-24 Liberator [Annotator's Note: Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber] was hit by enemy flak. The fuel level indicators showed they were losing fuel too rapidly to return to base. The pilot decided to head to French Indochina. Gross had a survival kit to help the crew after they left the plane. After a few hours over the ocean, the plane encountered a storm. One engine had already been feathered so that it had power cut but the propellers turned in the airstream. The men worked together to limit the risk to the aircraft. Another engine had an oil leak so it was killed thus leaving only two of four engines operable in the storm. Nothing but ocean was below them. The mountains were very high in French Indochina. The plane was almost at sea level, and there was a question about the ability to climb the aircraft enough to clear the peaks. A discussion about abandoning the ship began. Fuel was running out rapidly so the men abandoned ship. One man was hurt so some jumped before and some jumped after the injured man. The pilot jumped first and the others followed. [Annotator's Note: Gross later states the pilot was the last to bail out.] Gross hesitated to jump, but the men slated to jump after him forced him to do so. He could see the ship receding in the night. The wind blew against his parachute and tossed him back and forth. He could not see anything on the ground. Gross could not see any other parachutes. Gross landed hard and blacked out from the impact. When he awoke, he was soaking wet from the stormy rain. He knew at daybreak he would have to find his fellow airmen. He felt liquid on his leg and feared it was blood. It was not blood but he had a small hematoma. It was after midnight and he could not see anything. He rested until daylight and the rain stopped. He could see distant lights. He never determined who had the lights.

At daylight, Herbert Gross was alone after bailing out of the B-24 [Annotator's Note: Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber]. He heard dogs barking. He took off his harness but held on to it since it was caught in a bush or tree and there was a ledge in front of him. He spotted smoke coming out of a chimney in a village where the dogs were barking. The dwellings were cut into the mountains a good distance from where he was. Gross stayed in his harness until daylight. At that point, he started sliding down the edge of the mountain. Dogs and children saw him and made quite a commotion. He tried to identify himself as an American flyer but the civilians could not understand him but could see he was hurt. They did not look hostile. Gross was taken into a native house that had been cut into the mountain. He was placed in a location where he could lay down. He was so tired that he reclined and stretched out but could not sleep. The civilians were very interested in all his clothes and gear. Gross soon fell asleep but was later awakened by one of his fellow airmen who had jumped from Vitamin P [Annotator's Note: Vitamin P was the name of the B-24 Gross and his fellow crewmen flew most of their missions aboard] with him. The two Americans did not become friends, but they had their struggle to share. They used a map and decided where they had to go. Gross had carried other survival gear that helped the effort. Soon a Chinese soldier came to them and they managed to communicate with him. The Americans said they needed a horse to get to Kunming. The soldier said he would return the next day. The two Americans questioned that the soldier might be Japanese so they decided to leave the village.

The next day after a good sleep, the Herbert Gross and his shipmate left the village at dawn [Annotator's Note: after bailing out of their combat damaged Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber over Indochina the night before]. The Americans had been supplied boiled eggs before leaving the village. As they left the village, some of the citizens did not want them to leave. Both Americans took out their guns and started walking away as quickly as they could. Soon the civilians returned with weapons and wanted to walk ahead of the Americans. Gross and his fellow airman began their trek to escape capture by the Japanese. Villagers led the airmen across rugged forests and bridges with no clear path. After crossing several mountains, Gross could see a valley. The civilians said that was where they were headed. The next village had residents who understood the Americans. They said there were other US flyers over the next mountain in another village. At that location, there were water paths through the villages. The homes had platforms extending off of them. The residents were better dressed than the last villagers. Some villagers wore silver jewelry. Communication with the natives was better. Gross learned that other Americans were just ahead. After resting, Gross and his fellow airman headed toward the next village where they linked up with three other Vitamin P [Annotator's Note: Vitamin P was name of Gross' Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber] crewmen. The men were thrilled and continued on their journey. It was the sixth day on the journey. Gross discovered that he had carried more survival gear than his fellow survivors. The other crewmen took advantage of the supplies that Gross had brought with him. [Annotator's Note: Gross becomes emotional when discussing this topic.] With the airplane's navigator now with them, they had more confidence in making their escape from the Japanese. They had found out that there was a Chinese officer with troops nearby.

Herbert Gross and his surviving fellow Vitamin P [Annotator's Note: Vitamin P was the name of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber Gross and his crewmen flew] crewmen located a Chinese Colonel with a Chinese civilian representative in traditional garb within two days walk. The Colonel had a very comfortable house and office. He was happy to see the Americans. They were told that they were just two days from a secret American radio station at Mengtze with five or six American soldiers there. A plane set down there on occasion. [Annotator's Note: Mengtze was a junction between the Burma Road and a railroad from French Indochina. An airfield was in the vicinity.] The Colonel accompanied them to Mengtze. They rode horse back to their destination. Gross had contracted dengue fever while bathing in a pond. He was in agony with no medical help to be had. A vile of American Red Cross morphine was produced by a citizen and given to Gross in a spoon. He slept but could not stand up in the morning. He was given a substance in the morning to get him moving. Gross was very sleepy and soon he fell off his mule. Gross finally got back on the mule and made it back to Kunming. [Annotator's Note: Gross becomes emotional recounting the experience of his escape.] The Americans were very relieved in seeing the valley with their destination of Mengtze after seven days on the run. Being on the horse had helped him make the escape. The American detachment at Mengtze was happy to see them, because it meant that an American plane would be coming in to rescue them. Supplies would be brought to the American detachment as a result. The Chinese Colonel would not make the trip to Kunming, because only a small plane would be coming for the flyers. There would not be enough space for any others. The plane made the 200 mile trip to Kunming, and Gross went into the hospital. He was not satisfied with the medical treatment he received at the hospital. He was diagnosed with abrasions and contusions from the parachute jump. [Annotator's Note: Gross shows anger when he describes his hospital treatment.]