Captain Cross was the pilot of an AU-1 Corsair attack fighter with the Marine Attack Squadron 323, Marine Air Group 12, 1st Marine Air Wing. On 25 October 1952, while on a combat mission, his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire, lost its tail section, crashed and burned. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

Cross was awarded the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.