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When Cadets At A US Airforce Academy Realized Their Janitor Was Medal Of Honor War Hero
warhistoryonline.com ^ | Sep. 28, 2016 | Jeff Edwards

Posted on 09/29/2016 12:54:02 PM PDT by PROCON


Perhaps it was the way he carried himself in an unassuming and humble manner, but day after day hundreds of Air Force Academy cadets would pass this janitor in the hall oblivious to the greatness that was among them.

In the mid-1970s, William Crawford might spend one day sweeping the halls and another cleaning the bathrooms, but it was a day approximately 30 years prior that would create for him a special place in the history of war. In 1943 in Italy, the only thing Private William Crawford was cleaning out was German machine gun nest and bunkers.

Under heavy fire and at great risk to himself, his gallantry was so audacious that it earned him the Medal of Honor and the respect of any man who witnessed his actions. And yet, for the cadets at the Air Force Academy, it would take a student’s study of the Allied campaign in Italy to realize who it was that walked among them. Once the cadets realized the humble janitor was a recipient of the nation’s highest military honor, that would never be able to look at him the same and the secret was out.

(Excerpt) Read more at warhistoryonline.com ...


TOPICS: VetsCoR
KEYWORDS: airforceacademy; medalofhonor; moh; usaf; usafa; veterans; williamcrawford
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To: Jewbacca

Bookmarked: http://thelibertydaily.com/


41 posted on 09/29/2016 2:55:45 PM PDT by SkyDancer ("They Say That Nobody's Perfect But Yet Here I Am")
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To: The Truth Will Make You Free

Good info, thanks!


42 posted on 09/29/2016 2:56:47 PM PDT by PROCON ("Lock Her Up! Lock Her Up!")
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To: PROCON
Great story!

Thanks!!

43 posted on 09/29/2016 2:59:28 PM PDT by Osage Orange (PNA....my butt)
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To: PROCON

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=39979

President Reagan’s address to the USAFA Class of 1984 on 5/30/84, including the presentation to Mr.Crawford.

Reagan made the presentation at the end of his formal remarks.


44 posted on 09/29/2016 3:09:33 PM PDT by exit82 (Road Runner sez:" Let's Make America Beeping Great Again! Beep! Beep!")
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To: PROCON

I don’t recall him. I got there in ‘88 and left in ‘92. We had a waiter in the dining hall named George Mendez who was some Vietnam bad ass. Silver Star or Army Cross. The cadets treated him with a ton of respect. Occasionally they’d bring a MOH winner to lunch and call the wing to attention. Perhaps it could have been this gentleman but I don’t remember him.


45 posted on 09/29/2016 3:09:52 PM PDT by usafa92 (Trump 2016 - Destroying the GOPe while Making America Great Again!)
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To: PROCON

there are certain things that use to be understood:

1. if you don’t protect and enforce your borders, you don’t have a country.

2. if you don’t enforce your laws, you won’t have a nation.

3. if you don’t honor and respect those that fought for their country and nation...

then your country will have no honor and deserves no respect.


46 posted on 09/29/2016 3:18:40 PM PDT by sten (fighting tyranny never goes out of style)
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To: SkyDancer

It’s a great site


47 posted on 09/29/2016 3:34:34 PM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Sometimes There Is No Lesser Of Two Evils)
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To: MeanWestTexan

Looks like Drudge but has better news links.


48 posted on 09/29/2016 3:39:40 PM PDT by SkyDancer ("They Say That Nobody's Perfect But Yet Here I Am")
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To: PROCON

What a magnificent story. I believe he likely stood for our national anthem every chance he got.


49 posted on 09/29/2016 3:45:42 PM PDT by Uncle Sam 911
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To: exit82
Good find, thanks!

Too bad there isn't a video recording of the ceremony.

50 posted on 09/29/2016 3:48:05 PM PDT by PROCON ("Lock Her Up! Lock Her Up!")
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To: GreyFriar

Thanks for the ping. He was a humble hero.


51 posted on 09/29/2016 4:04:58 PM PDT by zot
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To: PROCON

Great thread. Thanks for posting it.

Saved to check for ancestral linkage.


52 posted on 09/29/2016 4:40:03 PM PDT by octex
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To: usafa92

Medal of Honor winner should be Medal of Honor recipient. Not trying to be nit-picky. It’s a common mistake but important enough to mention.


53 posted on 09/29/2016 5:19:19 PM PDT by beelzepug (For English press #1; for Spanish, learn English and press #1)
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To: PROCON
Thanks for posting.

I reads this on the ride home and it brought tears to my eyes.

I was about to post this, but then I thought I would do something rarely done: use the search feature.

54 posted on 09/29/2016 5:46:21 PM PDT by Michael.SF. (She calls me Mr. Deplorable.)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you'd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

Perhaps off topic, but a wonderful story.

That was a long time ago and one day in my life

Imagine a politician saying that.

55 posted on 09/29/2016 6:04:40 PM PDT by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
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To: PROCON; markomalley; DYngbld; TADSLOS; xsrdx; big'ol_freeper; Mark17; mikefive; JDoutrider; ...

Ping


56 posted on 09/29/2016 7:14:20 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
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To: PROCON

What a great story. Thanks for posting it.


57 posted on 09/29/2016 7:45:56 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: PROCON
When Cadets At A US Airforce Academy Realized Their Janitor Was Medal Of Honor War Hero

What's up with that headline?

How many Air Force Academies do we have?

58 posted on 09/29/2016 8:14:27 PM PDT by publius911 (IMPEACH HIM NOW evil, stupid, insane ignorant or just clueless, doesn't matter!)
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To: SES1066
In the military, it is the normal order for lower ranks to salute higher ranks and then for the higher ranks to return the recognition. This is reversed for living MoH awardees in uniform, they are saluted first by all ranks and then return the salute! It is not codified but is the very strong tradition for all service branches.

Are you sure this is still valid?

Sounds like something the Manchurian Candidate president would change.

He has yet to meet an honorable tradition that he could like.

59 posted on 09/29/2016 8:31:08 PM PDT by publius911 (IMPEACH HIM NOW evil, stupid, insane ignorant or just clueless, doesn't matter!)
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To: PROCON
Too bad there isn't a video recording of the ceremony.

Hard to believe.
Worth a little digging...

60 posted on 09/29/2016 8:32:52 PM PDT by publius911 (IMPEACH HIM NOW evil, stupid, insane ignorant or just clueless, doesn't matter!)
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