World War II Honoree

William J. Crawford

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pueblo, Colorado

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. PRIVATE, U.S. ARMY, 36TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: NEAR ALTAVILLA, ITALY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1943. ENTERED SERVICE AT: PUEBLO, COLORADO. CITATION: 'FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT RISK OF LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY IN ACTION WITH THE ENEMY NEAR ALTAVILLA, ITALY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1943. WHEN COMPANY I ATTACKED AN ENEMY, HELD POSITION ON HILL 424, THE 3RD PLATOON, IN WHICH PRIVATE CRAWFORD WAS A SQUAD SCOUT, ATTACKED AS BASE PLATOON FOR THE COMPANY. AFTER REACHING THE CREST OF THE HILL, THE PLATOON WAS PINNED DOWN BY INTENSE ENEMY MACHINE-GUN AND SMALL-ARMS FIRE. LOCATING 1 OF THESE GUNS, WHICH WAS DUG IN ON A TERRACE ON HIS IMMEDIATE FRONT, PRIVATE CRAWFORD, WITHOUT ORDERS AND ON HIS OWN INITIATIVE, MOVED OVER THE HILL UNDER ENEMY FIRE TO A POINT WITHIN A FEW YARDS OF THE GUN EMPLACEMENT AND SINGLE-HANDEDLY DESTROYED THE MACHINE-GUN AND KILLED 3 OF THE CREW WITH A HAND GRENADE, THUS ENABLING HIS PLATOON TO CONTINUE ITS ADVANCE. WHEN THE PLATOON, AFTER REACHING THE CREST, WAS ONCE MORE DELAYED BY ENEMY FIRE, PRIVATE CRAWFORD AGAIN, IN THE FACE OF INTENSE FIRE, ADVANCED DIRECTLY TO THE FRONT MIDWAY BETWEEN 2 HOSTILE MACHINE-GUN NESTS LOCATED ON A HIGHER TERRACE AND IMPLANTED IN A SMALL RAVINE. MOVING FIRST TO THE LEFT, WITH A HAND GRENADE HE DESTROYED 1 GUN EMPLACEMENT AND KILLED THE CREW; HE THEN WORKED HIS WAY, UNDER CONTINUOUS FIRE, TO THE OTHER AND WITH 1 GRENADE AND THE USE OF HIS RIFLE, KILLED 1 ENEMY AND FORCED THE REMAINDER TO FLEE. SEIZING THE ENEMY MACHINE-GUN, HE FIRED ON THE WITHDRAWING GERMANS AND FACILITATED HIS COMPANY'S ADVANCE.'