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John R. Crews

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John R. Crews Famous memorial Veteran

Birth
Golden, McCurtain County, Oklahoma, USA
Death
25 Sep 1999 (aged 76)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, USA
Burial
Oklahoma City, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, USA GPS-Latitude: 35.3600583, Longitude: -97.5238417
Plot
Garden of Hope, Section 29, Lot 110
Memorial ID
View Source
World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the United States Army during World War II as a Staff Sergeant in Company F, 253rd Infantry, 63rd Infantry Division. He was awarded he CMOH for his bravery near Lobenbacherhof, Germany on April 8, 1945. His citation reads: “As his company was advancing toward the village under heavy fire, an enemy machinegun and automatic rifle with rifle support opened upon it from a hill on the right flank. Seeing that his platoon leader had been wounded by their fire, Staff Sergeant Crews, acting on his own initiative, rushed the strongpoint with two men of his platoon. Despite the fact that one of these men was killed and the other was badly wounded, he continued his advance up the hill in the face of terrific enemy fire. Storming the well-dug-in position single-handedly, he killed two of the crew of the machinegun at pointblank range with his M-1 rifle and wrested the gun from the hands of the German whom he had already wounded. He then with his rifle charged the strongly emplaced automatic rifle. Although badly wounded in the thigh by crossfire from the remaining enemy, he kept on and silenced the entire position with his accurate and deadly rifle fire. His actions so unnerved the remaining enemy soldiers that seven of them surrendered and the others fled. His heroism caused the enemy to concentrate on him and permitted the company to move forward into the village”. His Medal was awarded to him on July 20, 1948. His other awards include, the Purple Heart, Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.
World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the United States Army during World War II as a Staff Sergeant in Company F, 253rd Infantry, 63rd Infantry Division. He was awarded he CMOH for his bravery near Lobenbacherhof, Germany on April 8, 1945. His citation reads: “As his company was advancing toward the village under heavy fire, an enemy machinegun and automatic rifle with rifle support opened upon it from a hill on the right flank. Seeing that his platoon leader had been wounded by their fire, Staff Sergeant Crews, acting on his own initiative, rushed the strongpoint with two men of his platoon. Despite the fact that one of these men was killed and the other was badly wounded, he continued his advance up the hill in the face of terrific enemy fire. Storming the well-dug-in position single-handedly, he killed two of the crew of the machinegun at pointblank range with his M-1 rifle and wrested the gun from the hands of the German whom he had already wounded. He then with his rifle charged the strongly emplaced automatic rifle. Although badly wounded in the thigh by crossfire from the remaining enemy, he kept on and silenced the entire position with his accurate and deadly rifle fire. His actions so unnerved the remaining enemy soldiers that seven of them surrendered and the others fled. His heroism caused the enemy to concentrate on him and permitted the company to move forward into the village”. His Medal was awarded to him on July 20, 1948. His other awards include, the Purple Heart, Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.

Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith


Inscription

MEDAL OF HONOR
S SGT US ARMY
WORLD WAR II SS BSM PH



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  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Originally Created by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
  • Added: Sep 6, 2003
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7840250/john_r-crews: accessed ), memorial page for John R. Crews (8 Mar 1923–25 Sep 1999), Find a Grave Memorial ID 7840250, citing Resthaven Gardens Cemetery, Oklahoma City, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.