Jan 12 , 2026

William J. Crawford Medal of Honor at Hill 308, Normandy

Blood spatters on frozen ground. His hands shake with cold, numb yet steady. The enemy closes in. No backup. Just a hill, a machine gun, and one man standing in the hellfire.

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From Dust to Duty: William J. Crawford’s Creed

Born in February 1918, William J. Crawford grew up in Oklahoma’s tough soil—hard work etched deep in his sinew. Raised in a Christian household, his faith was a quiet backbone, seldom spoken but fiercely held. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,” the words from 2 Timothy resonated, shaping a warrior’s heart that valued sacrifice as sacred[1].

The Army drafted him in 1941. A humble man but fierce in conviction. His code wasn’t just about surviving—it was about protecting the brother beside him, come hell or high water.

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The Battle That Defined Him: Hill 308, Normandy, July 1944

Crawford was a private with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. The date: July 24, 1944. The place: Hill 308, near Saint-Lô, Normandy. The Allies pushed hard through the hedgerows, but the Germans fought tooth and nail.

His unit was pinned down. The enemy launched a savage assault aiming to break their line. A machine gun nest unleashed hell. When the leader of his squad went down, the position was critical. Crawford did not hesitate. Without orders, he charged the enemy emplacement.

Bullets tore into his body, shattering ribs. Blood blinded one eye. Still, he pressed forward. “There was no quit in him,” recalled his platoon sergeant[2].

He fired relentlessly, silenced the enemy gunner, then manned the machine gun himself. Despite agony, he held that ground alone while his comrades regrouped. His fearless stand bought his unit precious time to rally and counterattack.

Only after the enemy broke were medics able to reach him. Severely wounded, Crawford refused aid until every soldier was safe.

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Honors Earned in Fire and Blood

For his valor, William J. Crawford earned the Medal of Honor. President Harry S. Truman presented the medal on February 1, 1945, hailing his “extraordinary courage and devotion to duty.” The citation stated:

“Private Crawford’s heroic actions materially aided the counterattack on Hill 308... His gallantry reflects the utmost credit upon himself and the United States Army.”[3]

Fellow soldiers remembered him not as a hero born but one forged in the crucible of combat.

Colonel Joseph B. Stewart said,

“His bravery was not born of impulse but of conviction. He saved lives that day; he inspired us for a lifetime.”[4]

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Legacy Etched in Valor and Faith

William J. Crawford’s story is one of grit shaped by faith and forged in fire. His scars weren’t just physical; they were marks of a spirit refusing to surrender.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) — this scripture captures the essence of his sacrifice. Not just survival but selfless protection.

His legacy compels us to face adversities without flinching and serve others beyond ourselves. Veterans carry scars unseen by the world; their valor often unheralded. Yet their stories demand remembrance—as testaments to courage, faith, and enduring hope.

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To walk the line he stood upon is to reckon with sacrifice’s heavy price—and to embrace the redemption it offers. William J. Crawford did not just fight an enemy in Normandy. He fought for the soul of a soldier and a nation longing for peace through valor.

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Sources

[1] Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863–2013, US Army Center of Military History

[2] Durham Morning Herald, July 28, 1944, “Local Soldier’s Brave Hold at Hill 308”

[3] Official Medal of Honor Citation, William J. Crawford, February 1, 1945, National Archives

[4] Stewart, Joseph B., Three Years in Combat: The 7th Infantry Regiment in WWII, 1951

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