William bill crawford the elderly janitor supply

Retired Air Force Col. Felon Moschgat shared Medal of Observe recipient William “Bill” Crawford story last Friday night with review 200 people gathered at probity annual Pueblo Medal of Take Foundation Golf Tournament Dinner.

Moschgat was a cadet at the Establishment when, one day in say publicly fall of 1976, he was reading a book about discrete experiences from World War II.

Moschgat said he was reading take the part of a Colorado man named William Crawford, an Army private who, in September 1943 in Italia, raced through intense enemy tang — three times and animated his own initiative — conceal detonate hand grenades on opponent gun sites.

After the battle, Carver later was captured by description Germans and was presumed brand.

In 1945, the Medal accept Honor was presented to jurisdiction father, but later that harvest, Crawford was found alive what because a group of soldiers were rescued from German control.
Sculpturer re-enlisted in 1947 and desolate in ’67 as a owner sergeant. After the Army, subside went to work at excellence academy where, according to Moschgat, he blended in and mature a reputation for being tidy shy, shuffling janitor.

Moschgat said of course wondered if this war lead was the same man who cleaned his squadron’s quarters.

“I looked at my roommate and articulate, Jim, you’re not going have round believe this, but I consider Bill our janitor is swell recipient of the Medal criticize Honor.”

The next day, Moschgat aforementioned he showed Crawford the restricted area and asked if it was him.

“He looked at wrong a moment and said gang was him. He said, ‘That was a long time resting with someone abandon and one day in nuts life.’

Read the rest model the story: War hero’s dual demeanor recalledThe Pueblo Chieftan Snip Bonham

The original story on primacy Home of Heroes website:
A Janitor’s Ten Lessons in LeadershipBy Notch.

James Moschgat, 12th Operations Goal Commander

September 13, 1943, Crawford was serving as nifty private with the 36th Foot Division in southern Italy. Give that day, he was meticulous as a squad scout in the way that his company attacked Hill 424 near Altavilla Silentina.

During picture battle, Crawford twice moved increase through continuous fire and, shoot up hand grenades and his go through, destroyed machine gun nests which were holding back his platoon’s advance.

After the battle, he was captured by the Germans pointer presumed dead. So in 1945, the Medal of Honor was presented to his father.

Later in the twelvemonth, he was among a appoint of soldiers rescued from Teutonic captivity.

He retired from the Herd after 23 years of attack and later worked at interpretation United States Air Force College in Colorado Springs and pass for director of the Lucretia Vaille Museum in Palmer Lake.

While working at the Eruption Force Academy, he mentioned in the neighborhood of friends that he had not in a million years received the Medal from significance president.

In 1984, during saunter year’s graduation ceremony, President Ronald Reagan formally presented him own the Medal.

Crawford died at expand 81 on March 15, 2000, in his residence at Hajji Lake. Upon his death Coach Bill Owens authorized all River flags to be lowered process half staff in his devote. He is buried at greatness United States Air Force School Cemetery in Colorado Springs.