Clayton Kelly Gross
Military
Jcook
Object Number - UPL 23406 - 1Lt Clayton Kelly Gross 355th FS 354th FG
6 kill ace including 1 Me 262, plus two destroyed on the ground.
P-51B-1, 43-12208, GQ-F (11 Dec '43 to a few days after 4 Feb'44 to 359th FG)
P-51B-1, 43-12451, GQ-I, "Live Bait" - "Peggy" (flown until end of 1st tour)
P-51C-10, 42-103687, GQ-I, "Live Bait", Malcolm Hood (begin of 2nd tour - LIA 18 Nov '44, Gross bailed out)
P-47D-26, 42-28750, GQ-I, "Live Bait" (27 Nov'44 - Feb'45)
P-51D-20, 44-63779, GQ-I, "Live Bait" (16 Feb'45 - LIA 31 Mar'45, Neidigh POW)
P-51D-20, 44-63668, GQ-I, "Live Bait" - "Peggy" (pre 14 Apr'45 - end of 2nd tour)
Crew Chief: SSgt C.E. "Smitty" Smith
Flew combat missions with the 355th FS from 11 Dec 1943 to 28 Jun 1944 (first tour) and 28 Oct 1944 to 25 Apr 1945 (second tour).
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
![Ground crew fit 75 gallon drop tanks to P-51 Mustang, GQ-I, serial number 43-12451, of the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, January 1944. The aircraft carries the marking "Peggy" on its right hand side. Printed caption on reverse: 'A. 43180 The American Super-Fighter. The American Mustang fighter the P-51B which has maintained a 6 to 1 superiority over all fighter[s] the Luftwaffe has thrown against them during recent attacks on enemy territory it is equipped with a 1,500 h.p. Packard manufact](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-377097.jpg.webp?itok=ZveE__BU)
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Peggy (starboard, Gil Talbot's GQ-I), Live Bait (port side, Gross)
- Unit: 354th Fighter Group 479th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 355th Fighter Squadron 436th Fighter Squadron 554th Fighter Training Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Cricqueville-en-Bessin
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Headcorn
- Site type: Airfield
Revisions
Clayton Kelly Gross, "Live Bait", 2006, bailed out of P-51C on 18 Nov 1944 (Blake lists 28 Nov).
Steve Blake, "The Pioneer Mustang Group", 2008, pages 416, 417, 421, 426, 427 - aircraft flown by Gross.
William Hess, "The 354th Fighter Group", 2002, page 55 - 12451 passed from Talbot to Gross in Mar 1944.
Steve Blake - 12451 passed from Talbot to Gross a few days after 4 Feb 1944 (pg 70)
Nickname Windy - from "Live Bait", Clayton Kelly Gross, 2006, pg 116.
Dates - "Live Bait" the book. Wasn't at Gael airfield A-31 due to being on leave.
354th FG Airfield names - "The Pioneer Mustang Group", Steve Blake, 2008.
