William J. Crawford at Hill 175 and His Medal of Honor

Feb 05 , 2026

William J. Crawford at Hill 175 and His Medal of Honor

William J. Crawford bled through enemy barrages on a cold March day in Italy. The air was thick with smoke and death, yet he held the line—alone, wounded, relentless. His hands gripped the M1 Garand as the Nazis closed. Every breath was fire in his lungs. He refused to fall.

A Soldier Born of Dust and Duty

Born in 1918, William J. Crawford was a Kansas farm boy forged by hard work and prayer. The grit of the land seeped into his bones. Raised in a devout Christian family, faith was the steel in his spine. No mission was greater than the call to serve and protect, and no man more compelled by the creed of duty and sacrifice.

Before the war, Crawford didn’t seek glory. He sought purpose. The Army, with its demands and dangers, gave him that—a chance to live beyond himself. His unwavering belief in God and country mapped his path forward into the inferno.

The Battle That Defined Him: Hill 175, Italy, March 24, 1944

Crawford fought with the 45th Infantry Division in the brutal Italian campaign. On March 24, 1944, near Cisterna, his unit advanced toward Hill 175—a strategic point swallowed by Nazi fire and bitterness.

Enemy forces poured mortar and machine-gun fire. Half the squad went down instantly. Amid the chaos, an urgent call came: a wounded comrade pinned just yards away. Crawford didn’t hesitate. Bleeding from shrapnel wounds to his hands and arms, he crawled through the rubble, the smell of death clawing at his throat.

His rifle jammed midway. The enemy closed. Crawford ripped off his bloodied glove, jammed a bayonet into his rifle, and charged. He fought with bare hands, kicking, striking, refusing to die until he dragged his fellow soldier to safety.

He was shot—twice—in the leg but stayed planted, using his body as a shield. His selfless shield bought his unit the precious moments needed to regroup and counterattack. They won that day, but only because Crawford became the living wall between his comrades and the enemy’s wrath.

Medal of Honor: Courage Without Question

On January 15, 1945, Crawford received the Medal of Honor for his valor at Hill 175. The citation reads:

“Private First Class William J. Crawford displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. Severely wounded and under heavy enemy fire, he single-handedly closed with the enemy, rescued a wounded comrade, and held his position despite promptings to withdraw.”[^1]

General George C. Marshall himself praised Crawford’s indomitable spirit:

“Men like William J. Crawford remind us that courage is forged in the crucible of sacrifice, and that honor is the battlefield’s unyielding truth.”[^2]

This Medal was more than a decoration. It was a testament to what Crawford stood for: unshakable resolve, brotherhood, the sacred act of giving all.

Blood, Scars, and Redemption

Crawford carried more than medals home. He bore scars—visible and invisible—that time never erased. Yet, he never claimed to be a hero. He was a man who answered when called, who refused to abandon his brothers amidst the hellfire.

Later, Crawford often referenced Romans 5:3-4:

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Through his wounds and trials, Crawford found purpose not in war itself, but in the grace that followed—the chance to rebuild, to honor the fallen by living fully, and to share his story as a beacon.

An Enduring Legacy in the Ashes

William J. Crawford’s story is carved into the granite of sacrifice. Veterans speak his name in reverence. His legacy is the hard truth of combat: victory demands sacrifice; valor demands pain; redemption demands faith.

He never fought for medals or memory alone. He fought for the man next to him, to keep the promise that no soldier stands or falls in vain.

His journey from farm boy to Medal of Honor recipient teaches us all. When the storm tightens its grip, the warrior is not the one who stands without fear, but the one who stands despite it.

Crawford’s example is a solemn call to remember the cost of freedom. And to those still bearing their own invisible wounds, his life is a promise:

There is grace in the fight. There is purpose beyond the pain. There is hope when the smoke clears.

[^1]: U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II [^2]: Forrest C. Pogue, George C. Marshall: Soldier-Statesman of the American Century, 1987