World War II Honoree

William Ellis Crone

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Tucson, Arizona

Honored By

Jacqueline B. Crone

Relationship

Wife

BEGAN HIS MILITARY SERVICE IN THE ARMY AS ROTC OFFICER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA. HIS BRANCH WAS THE CAVALRY FROM 1940 TO 1942. AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT IN THE CAVALRY RESERVES, HE WAS CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY FEBRUARY 5, 1942 AT FORT RILEY, KANSAS. ASSIGNED TO THE 102ND CAVALRY AND SENT TO TANK TRAINING SCHOOL IN FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY. IN AUGUST OF 1942, THE 102ND CAVALRY BECAME MECHANIZED TANKS AND WAS NO LONGER AN EQUINE UNIT. FROM THE PORT OF NEW YORK, THE 102ND WERE DEPLOYED TO EUROPE IN OCTOBER 1942. UPON ARRIVING IN ENGLAND, THE UNIT SPLIT AND HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 117TH CAVALRY MECHANIZED RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON AS MOTOR TRANSPORT MAINTENANCE OFFICER RESPONSIBLE FOR TANKS, ALL COMBAT EQUIPMENT OF THE BATTALION AND TRAINING. RECEIVING CAPTAINS BARS IN 1943, CAPTAIN CRONE AND THE 117TH PROVIDED TANK SUPPORT IN AFRICA, ITALY, ROME-ARNO, SOUTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE. IN 1945, HE BECAME BATTALION EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND SQUADRON COMMANDER WITH THE 117TH CAVALRY RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON. HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. OCTOBER 31, 1945 AND SEPARATED FROM ACTIVE DUTY FEBRUARY 24, 1946.