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to suspending hostilities. This request was first refused as being too dangerous but upon the officer's insistence that he was qualified to undertake and accomplish the mission he was allowed to go. Encountering heavy fire while in the landing boat and unable to dock in the river because of shell fire from shore batteries, Col. Craw, accompanied by 1 officer and 1 soldier, succeeded in landing on the beach at Mehdia Plage under constant low-level strafing from 3 enemy planes. Riding in a bantam truck toward French headquarters, progress of the party was hindered by fire from our own naval guns. Nearing Port
Lyautey, Col. Craw was instantly killed by a sustained burst of machinegun fire at pointblank range from a concealed position near the road.
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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty. On
November 8, 1942, near Port Lyautey, French Morocco, Col. Craw volunteered to accompany the leading wave of assault boats to the shore and pass through the enemy lines to locate the French commander with a view
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At dawn the officers reached the jetty that was to have been their original starting point. After several contacts with French troops to obtain directions, and requesting a guide (which was refused), the jeep proceeded cautiously approximately six miles into Port
Lyautey. As they came over a rise on
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After disembarking on Green Beach before dawn, and still under hostile fire from shore batteries, the officers commandeered a small truck. They were strafed by French aircraft when it became stuck in a muddy marsh. After the truck was extricated by a detachment of combat engineers, they attempted to
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November 8, 1942, French forces resisted Allied landing operations and Craw undertook the mission with Hamilton. The officers intended to land at a jetty on the Sebou River near French headquarters, but the alerted French defenders began shelling the landing force, and they instead came ashore
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position took them under sustained fire and killed Craw instantly with a burst to the chest. Hamilton and Correy were both captured, but
Hamilton eventually completed the mission and arranged the surrender of French forces.
446:. They married in 1931, and had one son, Nicholas. Craw commanded the 19th PS from August 4, 1932, to the end of his tour and returned to Mitchel Field on September 15, 1934. He was promoted to captain on April 20, 1935.
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and enlisted its driver, Pfc. Orris V. Correy, to cross through the French lines. Craw carried unfurled
American and French flags, and Hamilton a white flag, in an attempt to safeguard their passage.
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were the first Army Air Forces recipients of the Medal in the
European-Mediterranean theater of World War II and the only AAF members to be awarded that decoration for valor not involving air combat.
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nearly ended his aviation career. Craw graduated on June 12, 1924, ranked 371 in general order of merit in his class of 405 members, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant,
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Craw was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on March 4, 1943, for his part in the mission. Hamilton was also awarded the Medal of Honor in
January, 1943.
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continue their mission but were forced to return to the beach when caught in the exchanges of French artillery and naval gunfire from Task Group 34.8 of the
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In the demobilization of the Army following the
Armistice, Craw was discharged on February 15, 1919, but re-enlisted three months later in the infantry at
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Demas T Craw Marker Mehdia Beach
Morocco 1952 / Current location or existence unknown. This is the only photo believed to exist of the marker.
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Vicki Craw became a well-known philanthropist in Charlottesville-Albemarle County, Virginia, and was honored following her death in 2003 by a
465:. On March 11, 1940, Craw was promoted to major. His tour at Langley included temporary duty as an air observer for the War Department in the
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on March 21, 1928, and was promoted to first lieutenant on January 3, 1930. Craw returned to the Air Corps Training Center at
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While attending the Military Academy he received his lifelong nickname of "Nick", shortened from "Nicodemus" (a
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on his given name), and developed an ambition to fly. However an eye injury incurred while playing
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during World War II. The twins attended Traverse City public schools, but dropped out of
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in June 1941, then was assigned as deputy executive officer of the II Bomber Command at
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in April 1941, Craw was captured and interned for six weeks, until exchanged at
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officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the
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US Army in World War II / Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West
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on March 13, 1926. In August, he began Primary and Basic flight training at
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was named Craw Field in 1943. Other entities named in commemoration were:
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After his eye injury healed, he applied for pilot training with the
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United States Army Air Forces personnel killed in World War II
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Demas T. Craw Army Reserve Center, Traverse City, Michigan;
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In September 1937, Craw was assigned as a student to the
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In October, Craw was named air officer for Maj. General
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United States Army Air Forces Medal of Honor recipients
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Colonel Craw's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
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Demas T. Craw Army VA Clinic, Traverse City, Michigan;
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of Airplane Pilot on August 12, 1927. Craw joined the
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the outskirts near the French headquarters, a hidden
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United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
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landing craft carrying troops of the 2nd Battalion,
895:List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
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1055:"Medal of Honor recipients – World War II (A–F)"
430:, New York, to await a four-year tour with the
1094:"Demas T. Craw & Pierpont Morgan Hamilton"
1026:"Demas T. Craw & Pierpont Morgan Hamilton"
960:"Demas T. Craw & Pierpont Morgan Hamilton"
778:European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
415:, Michigan, transferred his commission to the
1211:World War II recipients of the Medal of Honor
1063:United States Army Center of Military History
917:United States Army Center of Military History
1171:United States Army personnel of World War I
426:In June 1930, Craw was briefly assigned to
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403:on February 28, 1927, where he received a
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982:Joint Resolution of the Virginia Assembly
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237:(April 9, 1900 – November 8, 1942) was a
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1096:. Hamilton National Genealogical Society
962:. Hamilton National Genealogical Society
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1127:"Chapter VIII Mehdia to Port-Lyautey"
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935:. Inside AF.mil. 2011. Archived from
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1181:People from Traverse City, Michigan
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444:Smith & Wesson Firearms Company
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484:In October 1940, Craw traveled to
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890:List of Medal of Honor recipients
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327:Central Officer's Training School
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766:American Defense Service Medal
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362:United States Military Academy
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239:United States Army Air Forces
146:United States Army Air Forces
1216:Deaths by firearm in Morocco
996:"Valor: A Desperate Venture"
559:, an amphibious invasion of
358:2nd Field Artillery Regiment
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68:Long Lake Township, Michigan
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590:60th Regimental Combat Team
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1092:Bowman, Joseph P. (2002).
958:Bowman, Joseph P. (2002).
788:World War II Victory Medal
514:German army invaded Greece
1110:"Col. Demas Thurlow Craw"
994:Frisbee, John L. (1988).
933:"Col. Demas Thurlow Craw"
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850:Demas T. Craw Squadron,
496:. During combat against
492:, as an observer to the
305:, for training with the
117:United States of America
37:Demas T. Craw circa 1940
808:Medal of Honor citation
794:Royal Order of George I
771:American Campaign Medal
584:with the first wave of
528:(Officer class) by the
467:Netherlands East Indies
463:Langley Field, Virginia
913:public domain material
856:University of Virginia
841:FS-207 (January 1945);
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346:Grand Rapids, Michigan
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1133:. HyperWar Foundation
1112:. Inside AF.mil. 2011
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754:Mexican Service Medal
579:Medal of Honor action
432:19th Pursuit Squadron
377:Coast Artillery Corps
340:At West Point in 1924
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313:, on the border with
179:19th Pursuit Squadron
152:Years of service
565:Pierpont M. Hamilton
311:Columbus, New Mexico
251:Pierpont M. Hamilton
245:—for his actions in
939:on October 22, 2012
440:Territory of Hawaii
350:Camp Zachary Taylor
297:. Craw was sent to
1000:AIR FORCE Magazine
852:Arnold Air Society
835:Col. Demas T. Craw
792:Gold Cross of the
598:United States Navy
549:Lucian K. Truscott
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389:Air Service
333:, Georgia.
331:Camp Gordon
283:World War I
189:World War I
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1006:(November)
901:References
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105:Allegiance
61:1900-04-09
1039:April 11,
417:Air Corps
369:word play
257:Biography
155:1918–1942
48:Nicodemus
868:See also
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522:Bulgaria
354:Kentucky
175:Commands
123:Service/
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199:†
169:Colonel
46:Nick, "
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477:, and
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315:Mexico
211:Awards
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