World War II Honoree

Crowell B. 'Butch' Werner

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Stephens County, Texas

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

WHILE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL AT BRECKENRIDGE, TEXAS WAS A MEMBER OF L COMPANY, 142ND INFANTRY, 36TH DIVISION, OF THE TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD. ENLISTED AS AN ARMY AIR CORPS AVIATION CADET ON 15 MARCH 1941 IN DALLAS, TEXAS. ATTENDED INITIAL PILOT TRAINING IN KING CITY, CALIFORNIA. SUBSEQUENT TRAINING ASSIGNMENTS INCLUDED: AIR TOW SCHOOL AT MAXWELL FIELD, ALABAMA; AND NAVIGATION SCHOOL AT KELLY FIELD, TEXAS. LEARNED OF THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR WHILE ON AN AIRCREW FERRYING A CONSOLIDATED AIRCRAFT CORPORATION LB-30 LIBERATOR AIRCRAFT VIA ROMULUS ARMY AIR FIELD, MICHIGAN TO THE BRITISH ROYAL AIR FORCE AS PART OF THE LEND-LEASE ACT OF 1941. COMMISSIONED A 2ND LIEUTENANT AT MUROC ARMY AIR FIELD, CALIFORNIA ON 24 JANUARY 1942. THEN ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST SEA SEARCH ATTACK GROUP FOR ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE AT LANGLEY FIELD, VIRGINIA. WHILE STATIONED AT LANGLEY FIELD, DEPLOYED TO TRINIDAD, BRITISH WEST INDIES. IN LATE OCTOBER 1942, FLEW AN ESCORT MISSION OVER THE NAVAL INVASION FLEET THAT HAD LEFT THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT OF EMBARKATION BOUND FOR FRENCH MOROCCO IN NORTH AFRICA. CODE-NAMED OPERATION TORCH, WITH A PLANNED D-DAY OF 8 NOVEMBER 1942. ABOARD THE FLEET WERE 35,000 ARMY TROOPS, WITH THE USS AUGUSTA CARRYING MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON. FROM AUGUST 1943 TO JULY 1944 WAS STATIONED AT GUADALCANAL IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC WITH THE 42ND BOMB GROUP OF THE 13TH AIR FORCE. NEXT ASSIGNMENT WAS TO THE ALL-WEATHER FLYING DIVISION, WRIGHT AIR DEVELOPMENT CENTER, AT WRIGHT FIELD, OHIO. REMAINED ON ACTIVE DUTY AFTER THE WAR.