World War II Honoree

Ralph A. Crawford, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Nowata, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

DRAFTED INTO MILITARY SERVICE AND SERVED OVERSEAS AS AN ELECTRICIAN IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN (EAME) THEATER IN ITALY WITH THE 449TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (HEAVY), 15TH AIR FORCE. HIS DUTIES INCLUDED BUILDING RUNWAYS. HIS B-24 'LIBERATOR' BOMB GROUP WAS STATIONED AT GROTTAGLIA, ITALY, IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS, UNTIL THE WAR IN EUROPE WAS OVER. THE 449TH GROUP PARTICIPATED IN 12 CAMPAIGNS, INCLUDING THE AIR COMBAT, EAME THEATER; AIR OFFENSIVE, EUROPE; ROME-ARNO; NORMANDY; NORTHERN FRANCE; SOUTHERN FRANCE; NORTH APENNINES; RHINELAND; CENTRAL EUROPE; AND PO VALLEY CAMPAIGNS. THE 449TH WAS AUTHORIZED TWO PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATIONS FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION IN COMBAT AT BUCHAREST, ROMANIA ON APRIL 4, 1944, AND AGAIN AT PLOESTI, ROMANIA ON JULY 9, 1944. HE WAS AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.