William Adair Crawford -MACON - On Saturday, October 23, 2010, Mr. William Adair Crawford, Col. USAF (Ret.), of Macon, passed away and went to his Lord.
Mr. Crawford was born in the year 1921 in Chelsea, Oklahoma, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rolla A. Crawford. He spent his younger years in Chelsea working in the local drugstore and pursuing his studies at Chelsea Community High School. After graduating, he attended Oklahoma State College before transferring to Murray State College in Kentucky.
He joined the civilian pilot training program in 1941 which was sponsored at the time by the Army Air Corps. He successfully completed initial flight training, and after Pearl Harbor was offered a commission in the Army Air Corps and subsequently assigned to advanced pilot training. Upon earning his wings and as a young military officer, Lt. Crawford volunteered in February 1944 as command pilot to ferry a newly commissioned B-24 ("Liberator" Bomber) from New York to Italy with enroute stops in Brazil and North Africa. There he joined the 455th bomber squadron attached to the 15th Air Force Group.
Subsequently, during the remainder of World War II, he flew some 50 sorties in Europe including 35 bombing missions over Germany and 5 missions over the highly defended Ploesti Oil Fields in Romania. The missions over Ploesti were characterized in James Dugan's book, Ploesti, The Greatest Ground-Air Battle Ever Fought.
After the war, now Captain Crawford continued his Air Force service and successfully completed duty, as well as advancing in rank, serving at several bases including Hickam Air Base in Hawaii, three years at Torrejon Air Base in Madrid, Spain, four years at Military Air Lift Command Headquarters, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois and six years at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. He retired in 1969 from Headquarters Air Force Reserve at Robins Air Force Base at the rank of Colonel completing 27 years of active service.
During his years of service to our nation, he received several decorations and awards including the Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious service as the commander of the 1620th Air Lift Support Squadron at Torrejon, Spain and the Air Force Commendation Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster, for meritorious service as Chief of the Military Air Transport Service General War Plans Division at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
After his military retirement, Mr. Crawford worked for Macon Federal Saving and Loan in their Warner Robins mortgage loan office, and he was also the Executive Director of the Macon Multi-List Service during the 1970's and early 1980's. After his civilian retirement, Mr. Crawford became an avid golfer and college football fan. He was a lifetime member of Riverside Golf Club now known as the Brickyard, and very much enjoyed his time on the course with his golfing friends. At eighty-nine years old, he was still playing 18 holes of golf. Mr. Crawford spent Saturday afternoons rooting for his favorite football teams including University of Georgia, his beloved Oklahoma Sooners, and the University of Tennessee (if they were not playing Georgia.) Mr. Crawford was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 64 years, Georgia E. Crawford, his mother and father, and his sisters, Murrah Elizabeth and Rolene.
He is survived by his two daughters, Donna C. Havrilla (John) of Warner Robins, GA and K. Denise Crawford Nearing (Stephen M. Sedor) of Stuart, Florida; and grandchildren, Justin Crawford Nearing of Florida and Kristen Denise Nearing of Boston, Massachusetts. -Colonel Crawford's memory and devotion to his family and country will be forever treasured by all of his family, friends, and relatives.
Mr. Crawford was born in the year 1921 in Chelsea, Oklahoma, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rolla A. Crawford. He spent his younger years in Chelsea working in the local drugstore and pursuing his studies at Chelsea Community High School. After graduating, he attended Oklahoma State College before transferring to Murray State College in Kentucky.
He joined the civilian pilot training program in 1941 which was sponsored at the time by the Army Air Corps. He successfully completed initial flight training, and after Pearl Harbor was offered a commission in the Army Air Corps and subsequently assigned to advanced pilot training. Upon earning his wings and as a young military officer, Lt. Crawford volunteered in February 1944 as command pilot to ferry a newly commissioned B-24 ("Liberator" Bomber) from New York to Italy with enroute stops in Brazil and North Africa. There he joined the 455th bomber squadron attached to the 15th Air Force Group.
Subsequently, during the remainder of World War II, he flew some 50 sorties in Europe including 35 bombing missions over Germany and 5 missions over the highly defended Ploesti Oil Fields in Romania. The missions over Ploesti were characterized in James Dugan's book, Ploesti, The Greatest Ground-Air Battle Ever Fought.
After the war, now Captain Crawford continued his Air Force service and successfully completed duty, as well as advancing in rank, serving at several bases including Hickam Air Base in Hawaii, three years at Torrejon Air Base in Madrid, Spain, four years at Military Air Lift Command Headquarters, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois and six years at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. He retired in 1969 from Headquarters Air Force Reserve at Robins Air Force Base at the rank of Colonel completing 27 years of active service.
During his years of service to our nation, he received several decorations and awards including the Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious service as the commander of the 1620th Air Lift Support Squadron at Torrejon, Spain and the Air Force Commendation Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster, for meritorious service as Chief of the Military Air Transport Service General War Plans Division at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
After his military retirement, Mr. Crawford worked for Macon Federal Saving and Loan in their Warner Robins mortgage loan office, and he was also the Executive Director of the Macon Multi-List Service during the 1970's and early 1980's. After his civilian retirement, Mr. Crawford became an avid golfer and college football fan. He was a lifetime member of Riverside Golf Club now known as the Brickyard, and very much enjoyed his time on the course with his golfing friends. At eighty-nine years old, he was still playing 18 holes of golf. Mr. Crawford spent Saturday afternoons rooting for his favorite football teams including University of Georgia, his beloved Oklahoma Sooners, and the University of Tennessee (if they were not playing Georgia.) Mr. Crawford was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 64 years, Georgia E. Crawford, his mother and father, and his sisters, Murrah Elizabeth and Rolene.
He is survived by his two daughters, Donna C. Havrilla (John) of Warner Robins, GA and K. Denise Crawford Nearing (Stephen M. Sedor) of Stuart, Florida; and grandchildren, Justin Crawford Nearing of Florida and Kristen Denise Nearing of Boston, Massachusetts. -Colonel Crawford's memory and devotion to his family and country will be forever treasured by all of his family, friends, and relatives.
William Adair Crawford -MACON - On Saturday, October 23, 2010, Mr. William Adair Crawford, Col. USAF (Ret.), of Macon, passed away and went to his Lord.
Mr. Crawford was born in the year 1921 in Chelsea, Oklahoma, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rolla A. Crawford. He spent his younger years in Chelsea working in the local drugstore and pursuing his studies at Chelsea Community High School. After graduating, he attended Oklahoma State College before transferring to Murray State College in Kentucky.
He joined the civilian pilot training program in 1941 which was sponsored at the time by the Army Air Corps. He successfully completed initial flight training, and after Pearl Harbor was offered a commission in the Army Air Corps and subsequently assigned to advanced pilot training. Upon earning his wings and as a young military officer, Lt. Crawford volunteered in February 1944 as command pilot to ferry a newly commissioned B-24 ("Liberator" Bomber) from New York to Italy with enroute stops in Brazil and North Africa. There he joined the 455th bomber squadron attached to the 15th Air Force Group.
Subsequently, during the remainder of World War II, he flew some 50 sorties in Europe including 35 bombing missions over Germany and 5 missions over the highly defended Ploesti Oil Fields in Romania. The missions over Ploesti were characterized in James Dugan's book, Ploesti, The Greatest Ground-Air Battle Ever Fought.
After the war, now Captain Crawford continued his Air Force service and successfully completed duty, as well as advancing in rank, serving at several bases including Hickam Air Base in Hawaii, three years at Torrejon Air Base in Madrid, Spain, four years at Military Air Lift Command Headquarters, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois and six years at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. He retired in 1969 from Headquarters Air Force Reserve at Robins Air Force Base at the rank of Colonel completing 27 years of active service.
During his years of service to our nation, he received several decorations and awards including the Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious service as the commander of the 1620th Air Lift Support Squadron at Torrejon, Spain and the Air Force Commendation Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster, for meritorious service as Chief of the Military Air Transport Service General War Plans Division at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
After his military retirement, Mr. Crawford worked for Macon Federal Saving and Loan in their Warner Robins mortgage loan office, and he was also the Executive Director of the Macon Multi-List Service during the 1970's and early 1980's. After his civilian retirement, Mr. Crawford became an avid golfer and college football fan. He was a lifetime member of Riverside Golf Club now known as the Brickyard, and very much enjoyed his time on the course with his golfing friends. At eighty-nine years old, he was still playing 18 holes of golf. Mr. Crawford spent Saturday afternoons rooting for his favorite football teams including University of Georgia, his beloved Oklahoma Sooners, and the University of Tennessee (if they were not playing Georgia.) Mr. Crawford was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 64 years, Georgia E. Crawford, his mother and father, and his sisters, Murrah Elizabeth and Rolene.
He is survived by his two daughters, Donna C. Havrilla (John) of Warner Robins, GA and K. Denise Crawford Nearing (Stephen M. Sedor) of Stuart, Florida; and grandchildren, Justin Crawford Nearing of Florida and Kristen Denise Nearing of Boston, Massachusetts. -Colonel Crawford's memory and devotion to his family and country will be forever treasured by all of his family, friends, and relatives.
Mr. Crawford was born in the year 1921 in Chelsea, Oklahoma, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rolla A. Crawford. He spent his younger years in Chelsea working in the local drugstore and pursuing his studies at Chelsea Community High School. After graduating, he attended Oklahoma State College before transferring to Murray State College in Kentucky.
He joined the civilian pilot training program in 1941 which was sponsored at the time by the Army Air Corps. He successfully completed initial flight training, and after Pearl Harbor was offered a commission in the Army Air Corps and subsequently assigned to advanced pilot training. Upon earning his wings and as a young military officer, Lt. Crawford volunteered in February 1944 as command pilot to ferry a newly commissioned B-24 ("Liberator" Bomber) from New York to Italy with enroute stops in Brazil and North Africa. There he joined the 455th bomber squadron attached to the 15th Air Force Group.
Subsequently, during the remainder of World War II, he flew some 50 sorties in Europe including 35 bombing missions over Germany and 5 missions over the highly defended Ploesti Oil Fields in Romania. The missions over Ploesti were characterized in James Dugan's book, Ploesti, The Greatest Ground-Air Battle Ever Fought.
After the war, now Captain Crawford continued his Air Force service and successfully completed duty, as well as advancing in rank, serving at several bases including Hickam Air Base in Hawaii, three years at Torrejon Air Base in Madrid, Spain, four years at Military Air Lift Command Headquarters, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois and six years at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. He retired in 1969 from Headquarters Air Force Reserve at Robins Air Force Base at the rank of Colonel completing 27 years of active service.
During his years of service to our nation, he received several decorations and awards including the Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious service as the commander of the 1620th Air Lift Support Squadron at Torrejon, Spain and the Air Force Commendation Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster, for meritorious service as Chief of the Military Air Transport Service General War Plans Division at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
After his military retirement, Mr. Crawford worked for Macon Federal Saving and Loan in their Warner Robins mortgage loan office, and he was also the Executive Director of the Macon Multi-List Service during the 1970's and early 1980's. After his civilian retirement, Mr. Crawford became an avid golfer and college football fan. He was a lifetime member of Riverside Golf Club now known as the Brickyard, and very much enjoyed his time on the course with his golfing friends. At eighty-nine years old, he was still playing 18 holes of golf. Mr. Crawford spent Saturday afternoons rooting for his favorite football teams including University of Georgia, his beloved Oklahoma Sooners, and the University of Tennessee (if they were not playing Georgia.) Mr. Crawford was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 64 years, Georgia E. Crawford, his mother and father, and his sisters, Murrah Elizabeth and Rolene.
He is survived by his two daughters, Donna C. Havrilla (John) of Warner Robins, GA and K. Denise Crawford Nearing (Stephen M. Sedor) of Stuart, Florida; and grandchildren, Justin Crawford Nearing of Florida and Kristen Denise Nearing of Boston, Massachusetts. -Colonel Crawford's memory and devotion to his family and country will be forever treasured by all of his family, friends, and relatives.
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