World War II Honoree

Harry M. Crowe, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A LIEUTENANT, INITIALLY IN THE AMERICAN THEATER, INCLUDING ABOARD THE AMMUNITION SHIP USS MOUNT BAKER (AE-3), (AKA USS KILAUEA, AE-3). HIS SHIP CARRIED AMMUNITION TO SHIPS AND STATIONS IN THE AMERICAN THEATER FROM 1941 INTO 1943, INCLUDING ALONG THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES, IN THE CARIBBEAN, AND TO NEWFOUNDLAND, A LARGE CANADIAN ISLAND OFF THE EAST COAST OF THE NORTH AMERICAN MAINLAND. HIS SHIP WAS RENAMED 'MOUNT BAKER' ON MARCH 17, 1943. THE VESSEL SAILED TO THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA ON JUNE 8, 1943, FOR SERVICE IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN (EAME) THEATER. THERE, IT SUPPLIED SHIPS IN ORAN, ALGIERS, AND ARZEU IN ALGERIA, BIZERTE IN TUNISIA, AND THEN PALERMO IN SICILY, ITALY UNTIL NOVEMBER 6, 1943. RETURNED TO NORFOLK, VIRGINIA AND SAILED ON APRIL 29, 1944, FOR THE BRITISH ISLES, IN THE EAME THEATER, TO STAGE AMMUNITION FOR THE D-DAY INVASION AT NORMANDY, FRANCE. AFTER RETURNING TO NORFOLK, VIRGINIA ON JUNE 23, 1944, SAILED TO THE MEDITERRANEAN AGAIN AND UPON COMPLETION OF THEIR MISSION ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1944, SAILED DIRECTLY THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL TO ULITHI ATOLL IN THE CAROLINE ISLANDS. AE-3 SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC (A-P) THEATER AT ULITHI ATOLL AS A STATION AMMUNITION SHIP FROM DECEMBER, 1944-JUNE, 1945. NEXT, SAILED FROM SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA TO THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS IN THE A-P THEATER. FROM THERE, BEGAN A SERIES OF TRIPS TO RETURN STOCKPILED AMMUNITION THAT HAD BEEN PREPOSITIONED IN ANTICIPATION OF THE INVASION OF JAPAN. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. CONTINUED IN U.S. NAVAL RESERVE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF COMMANDER.