William J. Crawford's Medal of Honor Heroism on Biak Island

Dec 30 , 2025

William J. Crawford's Medal of Honor Heroism on Biak Island

Bullets ripped through the chilled desert air. Blood slick on his hands, William J. Crawford pressed forward, alone, with a broken leg and shattered rifle. The enemy surged and yet, he stood his ground—because retreat wasn’t an option. Not then. Not ever.

Blood and Bone: From Oklahoma Roots to the Frontline

William James Crawford was born in Quapaw, Oklahoma, a place where the land was rough and the men tougher. Raised under the heavy hand of the Great Depression, he learned early that survival demanded grit and honor.

A quiet man of faith, Crawford carried the Bible tucked in his gear. His belief wasn’t just solace—it was a weapon against despair. “The Lord is my rock,” he often whispered beneath the roar of artillery, steel against the chaos of war. The code of the rifle bore deep ties to the code of his spirit.

Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1940, Crawford signed up for the 45th Infantry Division—a unit known as the “Thunderbirds,” hardened in the blood of North Africa and Sicily. They were the type who met hell with steady eyes and resolute fists.

The Battle That Defined Him: Biak Island, May 1944

In the tangled jungles of Biak Island, New Guinea, the fate of Allied air operations hung in the balance. The Japanese fierce in defense, the terrain a maze of death traps. On May 27th, 1944, Pvt. Crawford found himself at the eye of a savage storm.

His unit was pinned against a hill by relentless enemy fire. The machine gun positions fell one by one, soldiers dropping under deadly volleys. Crawford was hit repeatedly—bullet wounds tore through muscle and bone, but he refused to quit the fight.

With his trusty BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) shredded, and a severe leg injury slowing him down, he grabbed a discarded pistol and charged ahead into certain danger. Alone, he took out multiple enemy positions, drawing fire from the Japanese guns.

At one point, two grenades exploded at his feet. Shrapnel tore through his limbs, yet he kept firing until the final threat was silenced. His stubborn courage allowed the rest of his platoon to regroup and hold their line.

“It wasn’t heroism. It was survival, and the duty to protect the men beside me,” he would later say.

A Medal Earned in Blood

For this extraordinary valor, William J. Crawford was awarded the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest military decoration—for conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty. The award citation details:

“Although painfully wounded, he courageously and unhesitatingly advanced alone against the enemy, killing multiple Japanese soldiers and enabling his platoon to hold a vital position.”¹

General Joseph Stilwell called Crawford’s actions “a testament to true American fighting spirit.” Fellow soldiers remembered him as a beacon in darkest moments, one man standing tall when the enemy swarmed.

The Navy Cross, Purple Heart, and multiple campaign medals followed. But Crawford never spoke of medals. His silence screamed louder than any accolade.

Legacy Carved from the Mud

William J. Crawford’s name is etched into the bedrock of American military legend—but the man behind the legend was more than a warrior. He was a mirror held up to every fighting man’s torment and hope.

He survived wounds that would have ended lesser souls. Yet, his story teaches something farther than courage under fire—it’s about the chains forged between brothers-in-arms. About fighting for something larger than oneself. About facing death with faith clutching the heart’s last breath.

“Greater love hath no man than this,” the scriptures say, and that love isn’t just poetry in a chapel. It’s mud, blood, and the iron will to protect.

Veterans today still carry the weight of his sacrifice, a reminder that heroism is born in the raw, bloody grit of survival against impossible odds.

In the end, William J. Crawford’s story is not just about one man’s fight on one island. It’s a testament to every combat veteran who ever faced the abyss and chose to stand. Through scars and sacrifice, they remind us that redemption is won in the crucible of combat—and that courage, no matter how brutal, can shine like a light in the darkest night.

To honor them is to remember that amidst the chaos, faith and purpose endure.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Army Medal of Honor Recipients, World War II, William J. Crawford Citation. 2. James, D. Clayton, The Years of MacArthur, Volume 2: Triumph and Disaster, Houghton Mifflin, 1970. 3. Thunderbirds at War: The History of the 45th Infantry Division, Oklahoma Historical Society Archives.