Mervin Eugene Gross was born at Bowyer, South Carolina, on February 16, 1900. He attended the Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina, for two years and left there in 1918 to enter the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1922; and was immediately commissioned as a second lieutenant of the Air Service in the Regular Army on June 13, 1922.
SERVICE
He entered the Air Service Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas, in September 1922; graduated in June 1923. He entered the Air Service Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, in June 1923; graduated from the Bombardment Course thereof in February 1924. From September 1923 to August 1924 he was assigned to the 3rd Attack Group.
In August 1924, he was assigned to duty with the 28th Bombardment Squadron, located at Camp Nichols, Rizal, Philippine Islands. In March 1925 he was designated Inspector, Philippine Air Depot, Camp Nichols. He returned to the United States in September 1926 and became Post Adjutant, Post Transportation Officer, Post Operations Officer, and Commanding Officer of the 22nd Observation Squadron at Maxwell Field, Alabama, until July 1928, when he returned to the United States Military Academy, New York, as an instructor in the Department of Mathematics.
He entered the Air Corps Engineering School in July 1932, graduating in July 1933. In August 1933 he was assigned to duty in the Office of the Chief of Air Corps, Washington, D.C. as Assistant Chief, Material Liaison Section. From July 1935 until July 1937 he was assigned additional duty as Chief of the Experimental Engineering Branch, Material Liaison Section.
In August 1937 he entered the Air Corps Tactical School, Maxwell Field, Alabama, graduating in June 1938. Following a brief tour at Maxwell Field, he entered the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in September 1938.
Upon graduation from the Command and General Staff School in June 1939, he was assigned to duty as Chief, Bombardment Branch, Production Engineering Section, Air Corps Material Division, Wright Field, Ohio. In October 1939 he was assigned as Assistant Chief, Engineering Section, Air Corps Material Division, in the Office of Chief of Air Corps, and in November 1940 was named Executive Officer, Engineering Section.
In September 1941 he was designated Assistant to the Executive Officer, Office of Chief of Air Corps, Washington, D.C. From January to March 1942 he was Executive Officer, Southeast Air Corps Training Center, Maxwell Field, Alabama. Following this brief tour of duty, he was returned to Washington, D.C. and assigned to duty in the Office of the Director of Military Requirements, Headquarters, Army Air Forces as Assistant Director. From March 29, 1943 until December 4, 1944, he was Chief of the Requirements Division under the Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Operations, Commitments, and Requirements, Headquarters, Army Air Forces.
In December 1944 he was assigned to duty with Headquarters, United States Army Forces, China Theater, Chungking, China, as Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and as Theater Air Officer. From January 26, 1945 to June 10, 1945, he was Acting Chief of Staff, Headquarters, United States Army Forces, China Theater. From June 10, 1945 to August 21, 1945, he was Chief of Staff, Tactical Headquarters, United States Forces, China Theater. From August 30, 1945 to September 22, 1945, he was Liaison Officer from China Theater Headquarters to Headquarters of the Commanding Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas at Guam. From September 22, 1945 to October 22, 1945, he was Liaison Officer from China Theater Headquarters to the Commander, 7th Fleet, Shanghai, China.
On relief from duty in the China Theater, he was attached to Headquarters, Army Air Forces, and on February 5, 1946, he was designated Deputy AC/AS-1, Personnel, Policy and Management. On April 22, 1946, he was assigned to Headquarters, Air Material Command and on May 1, 1946, he was designated Commandant, Army Air Forces Institute of Technology, at Wright Field, Ohio.
General Gross died on October 18, 1946, in the crash of a P-80 jet near Brooksville, Kentucky.
He had been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
He was rated a Command Pilot, Combat Observer, and Technical Observer.
PROMOTONS
Cadet, U.S. Military Academy, November 4, 1918; Second Lieutenant, Air Service, June 13, 1922; First Lieutenant, March 12, 1927; Captain, August 1, 1935; Major (temporary), March 1, 1940, to July 1 1940; Major, July 1, 1940; Lieutenant Colonel temporary), August 28, 1941; Lieutenant Colonel, A.U.S., December 24, 1941; Colonel, A.U.S. (Air Corps), March 1, 1942; Colonel, A.U.S., January 6, 1943; Brigadier General, A.U.S., September 25, 1943; Lieutenant Colonel, June 13, 1945.