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Text originally published in 1944 under the same title.
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Publishers Note
Although in most cases we have retained the Authors original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern readers benefit.
We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.
GORE AND GLORY
A STORY OF AMERICAN HEROISM
BY
CAPTAIN WILLIAM CRAWFORD, JR.
UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE
AS TOLD TO TED SAUCIER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION
DEDICATED TO
My cockpit buddy and flying partner
LIEUTENANT JIM EASTER
of the 43 rd Bombardment Group, 5 th Air Force Killed in Action over Lae, New Guinea, on March 3 rd , 1943 in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea while bombing an enemy convoy which was completely destroyed
My Gallant Crews but for whose loyal team-work our deeds could not have been done
CO-PILOT LIEUTENANT JOHN GIBBS
BOMBARDIERS LIEUTENANT JACK CAPERTON AND
2 ND LIEUTENANT MAX MAYER
NAVIGATOR 2 ND LIEUTENANT JACK THOMPSON
RADIO-MEN DICK KELLEY AND MINOR SMITH
ENGINEERS ART RITENOUR AND BILL WALKER
TAIL GUNNERS ROY SCHOOLEY AND JACK HAYDEN
LOWER TURRET-GUNNER BOB WATSON AND
WAIST GUNNER JOE SHAPARUS
Grand Crews That Pulled Together As One Man
BILL GISH AND THE OTHER BOYS
Who set out with me from Stockton on our Great Adventure
All Who Fight the Yellow Peril in the Pacific
GOD BLESS AND KEEP THEM ALL
FOREWORD
A COMBAT record equalled by fewfifty-five battles with the Japanese and many long-range bombing missions over the Southwest Pacific in less than one yearis that of Captain William Crawford, Jr., Flying Fortress Pilot of the United States Army Air Force. He flew against enemy installations, shipping and supply bases in skies continually patrolled by hostile aircraft. First with the famous 19 th Bombardment Group, and later with the 43 rd Bombardment Group, 5 th Air Force, under Lieutenant-General George C. Kenney, he did 375 hours of actual combat flying, and more than 800 flying hours in allrepresenting 200,000 milesin our most vital theatre of war.
Volunteering for service before that fateful Pearl Harbor Sunday of December 7, 1941, Crawford was one of the heroes of the epic battle of the Bismarck Sea, the greatest victory over the Jap fleet since the war began. His initiative, dauntless courage and heroic leadership did much to win the day, yet he was only an average American college boy...one with plenty of guts.
When in March, 1943, Crawford, flying out on night patrol over the Bismarck Sea, located and shadowed throughout an eleven-hour vigil the twenty-two ship Japanese convoy and the next day participated in its utter destruction, the world learned what had been apparent only to a few enthusiasts: that land-based air power is superior to sea power. In that great American victory of the air the Japanese lost twelve transports, ten warships, several thousand sailors, ninety-five air-planes and 90,000 tons of shipping, as against an Allied loss of one United States Flying Fortress with its crew of nine, and three fighter planes. This feat was reported by General MacArthur as a victory of such completeness as to assume the proportions of a major disaster to the enemy.
This intrepid 26-year-old fighting pilot is also officially credited with the sinking of three Japanese warships, a cruiser and two destroyers, and an 8,000-ton transport with heavy loss of enemy lives. On three occasions he skilfully returned his battle-scarred and disabled Flying Fortress back to base, saving the lives of his crew under desperate circumstances. He has effected untold destruction of Japanese shipping, installations, airplanes and aerodromes...irreparable damage that helped to smash the vicious yellow onslaught that was relentlessly sweeping the Southwest Pacific in those critical months of 1942 and 1943. Thanks to men like him the Allied forces were able to strike back with a vengeance and carry the war to the Japanese in New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands.
For his extraordinary gallantry this youthful hero has been awarded no less than eleven decorations for valor: the Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, equivalent to an additional Silver Star; the Order of the Purple Heart for being wounded twice in action; the Distinguished Flying Cross; the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters equivalent to two additional Air Medals; and four Presidential Unit Citations signifying four decorations for the part he played at Rabaul in decisive mass-attacks with the 19 th Bombardment Group, and with the 43 rd Bombardment Group in the famous battle of the Bismarck Sea, and two citations for the Papuan Campaign of New Guinea.
Captain Crawford is also the proud possessor of a letter of congratulation from General Douglas MacArthur, Commander-in-Chief in the Southwest Pacific.
This daring pilots narrative is a straight-forward account of his exploits and experiences in the far-flung Pacific, spellbinding in its drama, pathos and breath-taking thrills. May it inspire many others to follow in his footsteps.
Gore and Glory is the story of Young America...out to do or die.
CHARLES WAYNE KERWOOD,
Lieut.-Colonel, Chief Special Liaison Section
United States Army Air Force
THE LINGO
of a Flier
Ack-ack: anti-aircraft fire
Betty: a Jap twin-engined medium bomber
Bitcher: a chronic griper
Blitz: a heavy attack
Bomb up : to load plane with bombs
Bombs away: bombs have been released
Bull Sessions: boasting of ones exploits back home
Bully beef: canned corned beef
Certain: a hit when the target is seen to be destroyed
Chow line: soldiers lined up waiting to be fed
Coal up: to load up with gasoline
Conked engine: one that has ceased to function
Crock: a wrecked aircraft
Eggs: bombs
Flak: fragments of anti-aircraft shells
Flight deck: area where pilot, co-pilot and engineer are located in plane
Flying on red light: on last 20 minutes of gasoline
Front: a big storm
Gibson Girl : a portable transmitter shaped like an hour glass, or shapely woman
Grease it in: a smooth landing
Hit the sack: to go to bed
