Rank Insignia Previous Honoree ID Next Honoree ID


   
honoree image
First Name: John

Last Name: Crow

Birthplace: Waxahachie, TX, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Army (1784 - present)



Home of Record: Plum Grove, TX
Middle Name: William



Date of Birth: 28 February 1909

Date of Death: 20 November 1942

Rank: First Lieutenant

Years Served:
John William Crow

   
Engagements:
•  World War II (1941 - 1945)

Biography:

John William Crow
First Lieutenant, U.S. Army

John William Crow was born on 28 February 1909 in Waxahachie, TX, the son of John Franklin and Sarah Frances Benning Crow. He attended Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College where he earned four-letters in football and graduated with the Class of 1935. Following graduation, he coached at Allen Academy.

On 19-20 November 1942, First Lieutenant John William Crow was serving with Company C, 128th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division in the South West Pacific Area.

On 19 November, 1LT Crow's unit was in action against Japanese forces at Buna, New Guinea, when it launched an attack on positions at the eastern end of the Buna defenses in the vicinity of the landing strip and the plantation. The attacking forces met with stiff resistance. The conventional doctrine of maneuver and fire support was negated by terrain, a lack of heavy weapons and supply shortages. In addition, the Japanese were fighting from well-prepared defensive positions and with many snipers. On 20 November, 1LT Crow led his platoon, and then the rest of Company C, to destroy several Japanese machine gun emplacements. During the fighting, while assaulting an enemy machine gun nest, he moved forward while firing into the emplacement, but was killed by enemy fire. 1LT Crow's inspiring leadership, courageous actions and extraordinary heroism that day, at the cost of his life, earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation (Synopsis)

First Lieutenant (Infantry) John W. Crow (ASN: 0-328644), United States Army, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy force while serving with the 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division in New Guinea. On 20 November 1942, during the battle at Buna, First Lieutenant Crow led Company C to destroy several Japanese machine gun emplacements, and during the fighting, while assaulting another enemy machine gun nest, he aggressively moved forward firing into the emplacement, but was killed by enemy fire.

General Orders: Headquarters, South West Pacific Area, General Orders No. 14 (1943)

Burial

First Lieutenant John William Crow is buried at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, TX.

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=34155240



Honoree ID: 312562   Created by: MHOH

Ribbons


Medals


Badges


Honoree Photos

honoree imagehonoree imagehonoree image

honoree imagehonoree image

honoree image

Remembrances


Tributes