Feb 05 , 2026

Sergeant William J. Crawford's Medal of Honor at Hill 27, Sicily

The air burned with gunpowder and pain.

William J. Crawford lay bleeding on the jagged rocks of Hill 27 near Troina, Sicily. The enemy pressed hard, grenades raining, his comrades pinned down. Wounded—badly—but he refused the silence of death. Two enemy soldiers advanced, unaware that Crawford’s shaking hands still gripped a rifle. His shots were desperate, deadly.

He was the line. The shield. The barrier between his unit’s destruction and survival.

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A Colorado Son, Forged in Faith and Duty

William J. Crawford was no stranger to hard ground. Born in Longmont, Colorado, in 1918, he grew up amidst the rocky soil and straightforward values of the American West. Raised in a modest household, faith was the backbone of his upbringing. “God’s will guides the soldier just as surely as his weapon,” he held close.

Crawford’s character was more than grit; it was conviction. This man believed in service greater than himself, a warrior bound by honor and Scripture. His favorite was Isaiah 6:8, "Here am I. Send me." It wasn’t mere words. It was a calling he answered with quiet resolve.

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Hill 27: Standfast in Sicily

July 20, 1943. The ground near Troina boiled with the deafening cacophony of war. Sergeant Crawford’s Wounded. Exhausted. His company battered by enemy fire, scattered. Yet when the German assault hit, chaos turned to desperate order under Crawford’s command.

Despite sustaining wounds from mortar shrapnel, he hurled himself between the enemy and his men. When an enemy grenade landed near him and others, he scooped it up and threw it clear—moments later, he was wounded again. Bloodied, he refused evacuation, rallying stragglers, directing fire with calm precision.

His rifle cracked in the night, each pull a bulwark to hold their ground. With every round fired, he exacted a heavy toll. When told to fall back, Crawford flatly refused: “I’m not leaving until this hill is truly won.”

This stand bought his unit the precious hours needed for reinforcements to arrive. The hill did not fall. The men did not break.

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Medal of Honor: Valor Etched in Blood

For this unyielding courage, William J. Crawford became a Medal of Honor recipient, awarded on October 27, 1943—just months after the fierce fight[1]. His citation reads with brutal clarity:

“When the unit was subjected to a sudden and determined attack by the enemy, Sgt. Crawford, although seriously wounded, courageously held his position and directed the fire of his men until the enemy withdrew.”

Commanders and comrades alike spoke of his "unyielding spirit" and "steadfast leadership in the face of near-certain death"[2].

Legendary war correspondent Ernie Pyle noted a recurring theme in stories like Crawford’s—soldiers who fought not for glory, but to protect the blood and dreams of their brothers beside them[3].

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Legacy: The Enduring Flame of Sacrifice

William J. Crawford’s story is not just a record of battlefield gallantry. It is a testament to the raw, redemptive power of sacrifice. Veterans carry scars—visible and invisible—that tell of fire and loss, of fears faced and faced down.

His courage reminds the living today: holding ground is more than a tactical act; it is a covenant with those who trust you with their lives. It echoes a truth ancient and unmistakable—“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Through decades, Crawford bore his wounds with humility, never seeking the spotlight. The battle for Hill 27 was part of a larger war, but for those moments, he was the shield. The story of William J. Crawford forces us to reckon with the cost of freedom and the indomitable spirit of those who pay it.

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War leaves no man untouched.

But men like Crawford show us that grace can rise from that hellfire. That courage, when bound to faith and purpose, never dies. It echoes through valleys and generations—reminding us all who walks that road, bearing the burden and blessing of service.

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Sources

[1] Department of Defense, “Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II” [2] U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Citation: William J. Crawford” [3] E. Pyle, Brave Men, 1944, Houghton Mifflin Company

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