Edmund E. Cross was born on January 19, 1913, in Shasta County, California. He was the son of Ehrman Earl Cross and Alfreda Marian Trevillyan Cross Halcumb. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on September 10, 1940. He served in the 7th Material Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group, Heavy, as a Private during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, Pvt Cross was one of the 10,000 to 12,000 Americans who were forced to march over 60 miles under brutal conditions, resulting in 1,000 to 5,000 deaths due to starvation, dehydration, and abuse. Survivors were sent to Camp O'Donnell, where dire conditions, including overcrowding, malnutrition, and disease, caused an additional 1,500 to 2,300 American deaths within weeks. Those who survived faced ongoing hardships, including transfers to other camps and forced labor, where many continued to suffer or die.

Pvt Cross was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity on May 24, 1942. He is now buried in the Redding Memorial Park, Redding, Shasta County, California, USA.

Source of information: www.livescience.com