Samuel Gross (Medal of Honor)

Samuel Gross
Capture of Fort Riviere by , Gross is the right-most Marine
Born	(1891-05-09)May 9, 1891 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	September 13, 1934(1934-09-13) (aged 43)
Place of burial	Har Nebo Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1913–1918
Rank	Corporal
Unit	2nd Marine Regiment
Battles/wars	Banana Wars Occupation of Haiti Battle of Fort Rivière World War I
Awards	Medal of Honor

Samuel Gross (originally Samuel Marguiles) (May 9, 1891 – September 13, 1934) was a Private in the United States Marine Corps, 23d Company who earned the Medal of Honor for his efforts during the United States occupation of Haiti in 1915.

Biography[]

Gross was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the United States occupation of Haiti, he participated in battles against the Caco bandit insurgency. During the battle for Fort Riviere, he saved the life of Smedley Butler, who also was a Medal of Honor recipient and was one of only 19 people to receive 2 Medals of Honor.

He died September 9, 1934, and is buried in Har Nebo Cemetery in Philadelphia.^[1]

Medal of Honor citation[]

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps, 23d Co. (Real name is Marguiles, Samuel.) Born: May 9, 1891, Philadelphia, Pa. Accredited to: Pennsylvania.

Citation:

In company with members of the 5th, 13th, 23d Companies and the marine and sailor detachment from the USS Connecticut, Gross participated in the attack on Fort Riviere, Haiti, November 17, 1915. Following a concentrated drive, several different detachments of marines gradually closed in on the old French bastion fort in an effort to cut off all avenues of retreat for the Caco bandits. Approaching a breach in the wall which was the only entrance to the fort, Gross was the second man to pass through the breach in the face of constant fire from the Cacos and, thereafter, for a 10-minute period, engaged the enemy in desperate hand-to-hand combat until the bastion was captured and Caco resistance neutralized.^[2]

See also[]

• List of Jewish Medal of Honor recipients
• List of Medal of Honor recipients

Notes[]

References[]

• "Samuel Gross, Medal of Honor recipient". United States occupation of Haiti (1915). United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
• "Medal of Honor citation for Samuel Gross". HomeofHeroes.com. C. Douglas Sterner. Retrieved December 9, 2007.