William J. Crawford, Hill 264 Medal of Honor Hero of WWII

Dec 20 , 2025

William J. Crawford, Hill 264 Medal of Honor Hero of WWII

Blood dripped through dirt and grit, melting the lines between life and death. William J. Crawford gripped his rifle tighter than his own will to live. Bullets tore the air around him, but he stood. Wounded. Bleeding. Defiant. The enemy swarmed like locusts—but he was a wall made of bone and fire.

Blood and Faith: The Making of a Warrior

Born in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1918, William J. Crawford was a ranch hand before the war. Hard work, open skies, and a faith as steady as the desert wind formed him. Raised Methodist, Crawford held close the words of Psalm 23: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” It wasn’t just scripture—it was armor.

He wasn’t a hero forged overnight. He was a man baptized in the quiet resolve of everyday sacrifice. When the call came in 1942, he answered with the same grit he'd learned from the land. Crawford enlisted as a private in the Army, joining Company L, 157th Infantry Regiment, part of the 45th Infantry Division—soldiers nicknamed the “Thunderbirds,” warriors with a reputation carved in blood and bone.

Hill 264: The Battle That Defined Him

October 1944, near Bruyères, France. The battle for Hill 264 was Hell with a stubborn face. The 45th Division squared off against fierce German SS troops. When the enemy launched their assault, Crawford's unit came under fire, pinned down and vulnerable.

Amid the chaos, Crawford took position manning a Browning Automatic Rifle, a living bastion against the tide. He was hit—twice—but refused to fall back. Wounded in his arm and foot, he stayed and poured a hailstorm of fire into the advancing forces. His fury bought precious time for his unit to regroup and reinforce.

Private Crawford stood alone, a single figure blazing in a field choked with smoke and death. When he finally collapsed, his rifle shattered, and the SS patrols withdrew. His actions saved the lives of dozens, turning a possible rout into a hardened resistance.

Recognition of Unyielding Valor

For his grit under fire on Hill 264, William J. Crawford was awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation speaks for itself:

“Despite being painfully wounded, he refused evacuation and maintained his position, delivering effective fire against the enemy…His steadfast courage and devotion to duty saved his platoon from being overrun.”

General Dwight D. Eisenhower himself underscored the importance of such sacrifices, calling acts like Crawford’s the backbone of Allied victory. To his comrades, Crawford was more than a soldier—he was the steel spine holding the line against annihilation.

Beyond the Medal: Legacy in Scars and Faith

William J. Crawford’s story is not just about battlefield valor—it’s about enduring scars and finding redemption in service. After the war, he returned to Roswell, carrying the invisible weight of firefights, loss, and survival. But he carried something more—the belief that sacrifice is not in vain.

His life echoes a profound truth: courage isn’t the absence of fear or pain. It’s persistence in the dark, the refusal to surrender even when the world demands it.

In years that followed, Crawford embodied the sacred calling of veterans everywhere. His legacy challenges us:

What will you stand for when your world burns?

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13

William J. Crawford’s battlefield wounds healed, but the mark he left on history is permanent. His fight was never just for survival—it was a testament to the warrior’s enduring creed: fight for your brothers, stand firm in faith, and let your scars be the gospel of hope to the next generation.

Remember him—not just as a soldier—but as a man who carried the weight of war and faith until the last breath of battle.