World War II Honoree

Warren G. H. Crecy

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Corpus Christi, Texas

Honored By

John Peterson

TANK COMMANDER, CAME TO THE AID OF HIS MEN ON 10 NOVEMBER 1944, AND FOUGHT THROUGH ENEMY POSITIONS UNTIL HIS TANK WAS DESTROYED. HE ELIMINATED AN ENEMY POSITION THAT HAD KNOCKED OUT HIS TANK BY COMMANDEERING A VEHICLE ARMED WITH ONLY A .30-CALIBER MACHINE GUN. HE THEN ELIMINATED THE GERMAN FORWARD OBSERVERS WHO WERE DIRECTING ARTILLERY FIRE ON THE U.S. POSITIONS. AFTER MANNING A REPLACEMENT TANK, HIS NEW VEHICLE LOST TRACTION IN HEAVY MUD AND HE WAS FORCED TO EXIT THE TANK UNDER FIERCE MACHINE GUN, ANTITANK, AND ARTILLERY FIRE TO FREE THE TRACKS. WHEN ATTACKED BY GERMAN INFANTRY, HE HAD TO ABANDON HIS SALVAGE EFFORTS TO MAN THE .50-CALIBER MACHINE GUN, EFFECTIVELY HOLDING OFF THE ADVANCING ENEMY, THEN FORCING THEM TO WITHDRAW. HE HAD DESTROYED AN ANTITANK POSITION AND A NUMBER OF GERMAN MACHINE GUN POSITIONS ARMED ONLY WITH A MACHINE GUN AND WITHOUT REGARD FOR HIS PERSONAL SAFETY, UNDER HEAVY FIRE. HIS MEN REPORTEDLY EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY GETTING THE MACHINE GUN AWAY FROM HIM AFTER THE ACTION. HE WAS NOMINATED FOR THE MEDAL OF HONOR AND RECEIVED A BATTLEFIELD COMMISSION, EVENTUALLY RETIRING WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR.