World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Thomas J. E. Crotty
Branch of Service
U.S. Coast Guard
Hometown
Buffalo, New York
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
Rank: Lieutenant. A Graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy New London, Connecticut. also a graduate from the U.S. Navy Mine Disposal School, August 22, 1941. Served with the U.S. Navy as an Executive Officer aboard the USS Quail Minesweeper (AM-15) assigned to the 16th Naval District-in-Shore Patrol Headquarters, Cavite Navy Yard, Philippine Islands. On April 9, 1942, the Quail and her shipmates were stationed at the entrance to Manila Bay, Luzon Island, when Allied forces on the Bataan Peninsula surrendered to the Imperial Japanese forces. He escaped to the Island of Corregidor AKA: The Rock, linking up with the Fourth Marine Regiment, and participated in the Battle of Corregidor (Battle Dates: May 5-6, 1942). Captured on the second day of the invasion when General Wainwright, Commander of allied forces capitulated to the enemy. As a prisoner he was transferred to the Prisoner of War Camp #1 Cabanatuan, Luzon Island. On September 30, 1942 he died of unknown causes, with burial in the Prisoner Cemetery. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. Succeeding hostilities with Japan personnel from a Graves Registration Company disinterred his remains from the camp cemetery, and was laid to rest in the United States Armed Forces Cemetery #2 Manila. In June of 2017, personnel from the Defense Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency in Hawaii disinterred an unknown from the Manila Cemetery, and transferred the remains to their Honolulu’s laboratory for analysis, where he was identified. The family of this Seaman requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Holy Cross Cemetery Location: Lackawanna, New York, with interment November 2, 2019. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.