Last of 8 brothers who served in WWII honored for service

Kim Kozlowski / The Detroit News

Southfield -- Two years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Carl Grossman was aboard a Douglas aircraft, flying over the Pacific Ocean to rescue wounded soldiers in the Battle of Tarawa during World War II.

As he was approaching the shore, Grossman saw scores of bodies and sharks swimming around them.

"It was terrible," Grossman said, recalling his first major battle as an Army Air Forces medic. "I was scared."

Sixty-six years later, on Veterans Day, Grossman, 89, is celebrated as the only surviving sibling of eight brothers who served in World War II. He is one of the nation's 2.3 million World War II veterans who are still living, including 75,485 in Michigan. He also is being hailed for exemplifying values from a bygone era.

"I'm not a hero. I just did my job," said Grossman, a Southfield resident who earned six battle stars, the air medal, the good conduct medal and survived two plane crashes.

Grossman -- who's better known among family as "Uncle Carl" -- was born in Pittsburgh into a family of 11 siblings -- with just one girl. Of the 10 boys, eight served in the war and all came home. They were known in their Pittsburgh neighborhood as the "Fighting Grossmans."

He was saluted last week, along with 350 other veterans, during a celebration of the $60 million expansion of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

But he almost didn't make it to the two-day, star-studded celebration that featured actors Tom Hanks and Mickey Rooney and broadcast journalist Tom Brokaw.

As a veteran who is still working to support himself and Freda, his wife of 58 years, Grossman didn't think he could afford to take off work as a greeter at Wal-Mart in Troy.

When Wal-Mart officials heard, they arranged for Grossman to get the time off. They also flew him and his wife to New Orleans on a company jet.

"It was one of the nicest holidays I've ever had in my life," said Grossman, who hadn't been on vacation in five years.

Brokaw -- who wrote a book about World War II veterans and called those who came of age during that time "The Greatest Generation" -- singled out Grossman during a reception of about 700 people and told the crowd how his work ethic illustrated his generation's values.

"It was very moving," said Jim Grossman, a nephew who went to the festivities. "He started to weep when Brokaw introduced him. Ten people came up to him after that. They spoke with him and he hugged everyone. He was very emotional."

But it wasn't the memories of the war that brought tears to her husband's eyes, Freda Grossman said. "He was thinking about his brothers," she said.

The Anti-Defamation League in Chicago published a pamphlet, called "Brothers in Arms," highlighting families of Jewish faith who sent numerous sons to the war. The Grossmans were featured as a family with eight sons in the war. Photos of Staff Sgt. Carl, 1st Lts. Hi, Leonard, Israel, Cpls. Saul and Michael Grossman were included. Only the pictures of Allan and Moses Grossman were missing in the pamphlet.

"We are happy that our boys are serving our country and help preserve the ideals that make it possible for Protestants, Catholics and Jews to live together in the spirit of brotherhood and fellowship," Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Grossman said, quoted in the pamphlet.

Carl Grossman served in World War II from 1941-45. He was stationed mostly on a base in Honolulu and served in the Pacific theater from Guadalcanal to New Guinea.

He was drafted when he was 21 and worked hard not only to serve his country but also because of his brothers.

"I swear I never lost a patient," Grossman said. "The reason why I was serious about what I did is because I had seven brothers in the service. What if I ran into one of my brothers? I'd better know what I am doing."

During his tour of duty, Grossman met Bob Hope in 1944, when he got on one of the comedian's planes to travel to entertain troops. He also met President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945, a few months before he died, while he was visiting Grossman's base.

He returned from the war with dengue fever, a disease transmitted by mosquitoes and one of the leading causes of illness and deaths in the tropics and subtropics. Three months later, his mother, Della Grossman, died.

After her death, he moved from job to job, then moved to Paris. But he missed the U.S., and moved to Michigan in 1950.

A few months later, he met his wife at a singles dance at the Jewish Community Center, and married her a year later. The couple lived in Oak Park until 1967, and then moved to Southfield.

After his military service, Grossman found his career selling cars for Chrysler. The couple had three sons, all of whom he encouraged to serve in the military. But none of them did.

"He told us that we should have all gone into the Army and we would have turned out better kids," said Gary Grossman, a mortgage loan modifier who lives in Franklin.

In December, Grossman will be featured on the "American Story with Bob Dotson" segment of NBC's "Today," which focuses on touching stories of outstanding people.

"It means a lot to my uncle, with him being the last of the brothers," said Jim Grossman. "It's very meaningful to our whole family that they are remembered. ..."

kkozlowski@detnews.com (313) 222-2024