William J. Crawford Wounded in Sicily, Awarded Medal of Honor

Nov 20 , 2025

William J. Crawford Wounded in Sicily, Awarded Medal of Honor

The smoke choked. The gunfire hammered like thunder in his ears. Through his mangled hand, William J. Crawford gripped the wounded Browning Automatic Rifle. He was bleeding, shattered by a grenade blast, yet his voice cut through the chaos like a rallying cry: "Hold the line!"

Background & Faith

Born in Sacaton, Arizona, William J. Crawford was a son of the desert—a place where survival sharpens the soul. Enlisting with the 45th Infantry Division before America’s full plunge into World War II, he carried a deep faith with him, grounded in the Scriptures and the grit of his community. A man of sound heart and sterling resolve, he understood that courage wasn’t born in war but tested there.

His personal creed echoed Psalm 23:4—“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” This was no mere rhetoric. It was a lifeline, a stubborn grip on hope amid relentless carnage.

The Battle That Defined Him

November 26, 1943—the mountains of Sicily erupted in hellfire. As a private first class with the 157th Infantry Regiment, Crawford’s unit came under sudden, overwhelming enemy assault near the town of Mignano.

The position buckled under grenade attacks and rifle fire. Communication lines broke. Men faltered. And then, a concussion grenade exploded at Crawford’s feet, shredding his left hand and mangling his arm. Blood spattered. Pain screamed.

But Crawford didn’t drop the BAR.

He pulled himself forward. One hand, one breath, and the barrel’s fire with it. Holding the line against enemy soldiers trying to overrun his squad’s flanks, he kept killing, kept shouting, kept fighting—

The squad survived.

His actions bought precious time for reinforcements. When the attack paused, he crawled back to medics, soaked in blood but unbroken in spirit. A true warrior's warrior.

Recognition

For his valor that day, William J. Crawford received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration. His citation states:

"Despite a painful wound and loss of use of his left hand, Private First Class Crawford, with one arm only, continued to man his automatic rifle and repel the enemy, saving his comrades from destruction."

General Mark Clark, commander during the Italian campaign, remarked later:

"Few men possess the heart and determination that Private Crawford exhibited that day."

The medal was awarded by President Harry Truman on October 12, 1945, honoring the blood-soaked courage that kept a line from breaking in Sicily’s burning hills.

Legacy & Lessons

William J. Crawford’s story carries a heavier weight than medals or memory. It is the raw truth of sacrifice—how far a soldier will push beyond flesh and fear to protect brothers in arms. His name stands etched in a long line of warriors who fought not for glory but for survival, for home, for the man beside them.

His faith wasn’t a quiet comfort but a blazing beacon in war’s black night. It’s the kind of faith that says courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. Like Crawford, to stand when all else falters.

"Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle." — Psalm 144:1

In a world too quick to forget the blood behind peace, William J. Crawford’s legacy demands remembrance. His scars bear witness—battle’s cost written on a man who lived it, fought it, and in ruin, found redemption.

We carry forward what he taught: that valor is forged in pain, and heroism lives most clearly in those who refuse to surrender even when broken. That is our debt. That is our call.