How William J. Crawford Earned the Medal of Honor at Leyte, WWII

Jan 28 , 2026

How William J. Crawford Earned the Medal of Honor at Leyte, WWII

William J. Crawford didn’t choose glory. It clawed into him in a freezing South Pacific night, when the enemy’s shadow hit hard, and the line nearly broke. He was there, bleeding, fighting, standing tall—because surrender wasn’t a word in his blood.

Background & Faith

Born in 1918, Los Angeles, William Crawford grew up on Dust Bowl stories and hard times. The grit of the Great Depression baked a stubborn will inside him. Before the war, he rode the rails, worked small jobs—America’s forgotten edges where men are forged.

Faith wasn’t an ornament to Crawford. It was the bedrock. He believed in something bigger than himself—something that made the hellish clarity of combat bearable. Scripture was more than words; it was a lifeline.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9

His code was simple: protect your brothers, hold the line, and carry your wounds with honor.

The Battle That Defined Him

It was October 1944, near Leyte Island, Philippines. The 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, was locked in a desperate fight against a tenacious Japanese force. Crawford was a private first class, a rifleman tasked with holding a vital position under withering fire.

The night had broken into a savage storm of bullets and shouts.

In the dark, enemy grenades tore through the perimeter. Crawford’s unit staggered. He was hit—twice brutal wounds that could have stopped any man. But he refused to falter.

He took a grenade, ripped the pin as it sailed through the air—then threw it back before it could kill those beside him.

He refused to give ground even as blood soaked his clothes. With his hand mangled and vision blurred, Crawford manned his rifle alone, firing rounds that hammered the enemy’s assault into retreat.

This was no cinematic moment. This was sheer will. Crawford staggered, locking eyes with death, and spit it in the face. Twice wounded, he stayed in the fight until reinforcements arrived, saving countless lives.

Recognition

For that night, the United States awarded William J. Crawford the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest military decoration.

His citation reads with brutal clarity:

“...Crawford’s courage and selfless devotion to duty reflect the highest traditions of the military service and the United States Army.”

In interviews, comrades recall him as quiet but unyielding—a soldier who never sought spotlight.

General Douglas MacArthur praised the soldiers who fought on Leyte, but it was men like Crawford who made victory possible.

“In valor, there is hope.” — Tacitus. Crawford embodied that hope.

His medal was not just metal. It was a stamp on a scarred soul, a testament that courage live beyond pain.

Legacy & Lessons

William J. Crawford’s story is about the raw edge where fear meets faith, where pain sharpens resolve. His wounds tell a story no textbook captures— that bravery is born in the blood and sweat of sacrifice.

He returned home carrying wounds that never truly healed, physical or spiritual. But his steadfastness offers a lesson to every generation who face darkness:

Stand when it’s easier to fall.

Fight for those who cannot.

Serve without condition.

His battle was brutal, but not in vain. It calls us all to remember: courage isn’t flawless. It’s messy. It’s pain-faced. It is deliberate.

In a world too often dazzled by noise, William J. Crawford’s life speaks a solemn truth: honor is not an echo of applause but the quiet sound of steadfastness when no one’s watching.

His fight wasn’t over when the guns went silent. It lived on in every veteran’s scar and every soul wrestling with purpose beyond survival.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

Crawford laid down more than a life; he laid down a foundation for all who dare to stand.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II (A–F)” 2. “William J. Crawford: Medal of Honor Recipient,” Congressional Medal of Honor Society 3. John Currey, The 24th Infantry Division in WWII (Military History Press, 2007)