Thursday, May 27, 2010

Honor Flight

When I came through Baltimore-Washington International airport two weeks ago I saw a large group of people who were a part of Honor Flight. I'd read about the organization a few years back. http://www.honorflight.org/ They provide free flights for WWII veterans to go to Washington DC to see the WWII memorial there. (It wasn't too long ago that memorial was established. It was way overdue.)
Many of these men were in wheelchairs but the majority were standing tall. They all had baseball caps with "WWII Veteran" on it and their branch of service. One was wearing a jacket with a P-38 on it, he'd been a pilot in the "Widowmaker". That plane was an outstanding aircraft.

Several people had "Ground crew" shirts. They were the escorts. It was a sizable group, maybe 50 or 60 total. It was good to see the faces of these men going back to their homes. Lots of smiles. We're losing them at a rate of about 900 a day, I'm told. 
My dad is a veteran of WWII and Korea. He's still with us and in good health. He's one of those guys who doesn't talk much about what he saw and did. He was in the Navy in the Pacific.

     There  is also an opportunity to preserve their history through the Library of Congress. It's called the Veterans History Project. You interview your vet, collect documents or photographs and send it in. www.loc.gov/vets. Many grade and high schools are participating in this. If your isn't, pass this info along. There's a booklet you can get that explains it.
    We owe them, the men and women who brought us through World War Two. This weekend is a time to say thanks.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

A shiny, new black belt

Wendy Pollack, center, recently passed her black belt exam. She was tired, sore and black and blue.She had a lot of help from others at the studio, especially Genie Byrd, left. At home, she has the support of her husband, Cory, and her son, Maxx. Cory is a blue belt and Maxx holds a junior black rank.
Wendy joins a short list of female black belts. We just don't have enough women becoming instructors in our art and it's tougher for them than it is for many of the guys.
She took a little over seven years to train to the level. Her thesis theme was techniques to be used with keys in hand and/or attacked next to or in a car. "Such things a nice girl should know!"
Congratulations to Wendy!

Renewal

I just finished a course to renew my flight instructor certificate. It has to be done every two years. The bulk of it is on aerodynamics, airspace, regulations and the like but there are two units on teaching and professionalism. I don't teach flying actively anymore but I found those two units to be particularly useful.
     It's always good to go back and look at things with beginner's eyes. Reading these two sections did what it was supposed to, it refreshed my knowledge. I was reminded of the two main teaching methods recommneded by the FAA, those being the telling/doing and demonstration/performance methods. When we teach martial arts we do the same thing they do in flight instruction. We have to impart knowledge and physical and mental skill. It's not just book work. Judgment has to be taught, too.
   When we do these things we have to be aware of how we are perceived by a student. That's addressed in in the professionalism section. I have written about this many times in the past. It's important to present ourselves as pros, both in dress and demeanor. Obviously in our command of the subject, too.
   I have taped some segments for my coming online learning site for instructors on these subjects. I recap the characteristics of learning and address subjects such as false praise. I really want to bring the standard of instruction up for us all. It's usually pretty good now but we can always be better. 

Rolling Thunder

I will be going up to Washington, DC this weekend for the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally. This event happens Memorial Day weekend on Sunday and is a tribute to veterans, POWs and MIAs. It's called the Ride to the Wall as the destination is the Vietnam memorial on the Mall. Last year over a quarter-million bikers showed up.
    I've wanted to do this for years. I'm going up with a group from Florida and we're meeting some others along the way, coming out of Ft. Bragg. If you're going to be there maybe we'll meet. Look for the Special Forces MC (the crest w/De Oppresso Liber on it) and say hello.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

online learning site update

The new site is in beta-test and we've found some bugs in the system. We are working it out. As soon as the first two testers are able to work thru it we will let the next ones in, get their feedback and make the fixes. In the meantime I've continued to shoot more and expand the Instructor section.

Monday, May 24, 2010

The doctor is in

Dr. Rowe sent this in. Cerebral blood flow may be responsible for how fast you walk and less flow may increase probability of falling. They recommend exercise to increase the flow. Another reason to keep working out as you age. This is the last paragraph.

Impaired Cerebral Blood Flow Regulation Linked to Slow Gait Speed and Falls


Pauline Anderson


Prescribing Physical Exercise
Reached for a comment, David J. Thurman, MD, MPH, from the Centers for Disease Control National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in Atlanta, Georgia, who coauthored the American Academy of Neurology Risk of Falls guidelines, said the study was carefully designed and conducted. However, he told Medscape Neurology in an email that it is uncertain what conclusions can be drawn from the study. "One possibility is that abnormal cerebral blood vessel function itself is a contributing cause of gait abnormalities that lead to falls," he pointed out. "However, there are other possibilities. In particular, reduced vascular reactivity as well as gait abnormalities may both be separate results of physical inactivity or deconditioning."
Further research, probably in the form of longitudinal or follow-up studies, is needed to better understand these relationships, said Dr. Thurman. Meanwhile, he said, it is clear from past research that physical inactivity is a major risk factor for falls in the elderly. "Clinicians can significantly reduce this risk factor in their older patients by prescribing physical exercise, gait training, and physical therapy as appropriate for each individual."

Saturday, May 22, 2010

The defense of Baltimore

I was up in Baltimore recently. On the way to the airport we stopped to see Ft. McHenry. The battle for the fort is the place that Francis Scott Key was watching when he was inspired to write our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner. I love to visit historical sites and this one is very cool. The flag of that era is flying over the fort. It has 15 stars and 15 stripes. The one they fly is large and it's still half the size of the one that was over the fort during the battle. I have seen that flag hanging in the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
     The song mentions "bombs bursting in air". They have two examples of them there. These things were big.

If you go, watch the short movie first. I walked in just as the docent was introducing the film. He was saying that our anthem music is based on another tune and did anyone know what it was? I'm going to brag a little, I knew. It's Anacreon in Heaven.  I'd learned that in the Air Force squadron officers school material. Then he asked if I knew where it came from. I told him it was a British drinking song. Which is what it was. He later came by and asked me if I knew who wrote that song, which I didn't and he said they think it was written by a man named Smith. I think we were in a contest by now, so I asked him if Smith was a spelled with an I or a Y. We both laughed. I have to wonder what the Brits who know about that song think when they hear our anthem.
   You can walk through the fort and around the grounds. There are historical displays and well-kept grounds. You can also either buy or bring a flag of your own and they will raise it with you over the fort. They will then give you a certificate that the flag flew over Ft. McHenry. How cool is that?

Friday, May 21, 2010

Sometimes slower is better

I teach tai chi, know for being done in slow-motion. Moving slowly gives you a chance to really feel what your body is doing. And it's hard for most of us to do. Kenpo is known for its speed and all too often our people move way too fast. We even say "Speed Kills", meaning speed kills power. Move too fast and your body does not have the time to really get connected to deliver the force generated. Your lower body dictates the speed of the upper. But this isn't really about that kind of speed.
    I was taking a Systema class a few days ago with Peter Annazone, who teaches it at my school. I was working with a  new student on knife defense, the type with the knife against your throat. She asked Peter how fast she should do it. He replied that he would respond as slowly as possible. The thinking in that system is that if you move fast on the initial response it signals the attacker, who will then cut you. By moving slowly you start to get yourself to the desired position (e.g. flattening the blade) without "putting the fight in him". Once you've gained the position you can continue the technique at speed.
    Here's the thinking. It's like being faced with a snarling dog. Move fast and they may attack and bite you. Move slowly and you get a few more seconds to prepare. When I teach the tai chi I tell students to treat it like a Doberman; no sudden moves. Firearms instructors like to say slow is smooth, smooth is fast when practicing their draw. This is the same idea.  
     Typically in kenpo we are faced with the weapon and we "go off" as fast as possible. One tactic I teach is to start the defense when the attacker says "Get your hands up!" They expect movement, so it disguises the defense a bit. So a little slow movement to get to position may give you an edge.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Pennsylvania seminar

I was in Leesport, PA, near Reading, last weekend to teach at Brian Price's studio there. We had a pretty full day with three seminars. The adults did some grafting and change-ups along with blending Kenpo with Russian Systema. I have an instructor certificate from Vladimir Vasiliev in RMA and it's fun to work on the blend.
I worked the kids on some wrist escape techniques and talked with them about what it takes to be a better student. One of the parents, Tara Kennedy-Kline, gave me a book she wrote afterwards entitled Stop Raising Einstein. I'm looking forward to reading at as it's concerned with developmental stages in children.
Working privately with Brian is always good and his students are very complimentary of him. I enjoyed my time with his group (which was too short) and look forward to seeing some of them soon at my seminar in Broomall, PA on Tuesday, June 1 at Marc Shay's school..  

Monday, May 17, 2010

Blog

This blog may be of interest, especially to the women out there.

http://sightbreathmobility.blogspot.com/2010/05/gift-of-learning-releasing-fear-and.html

DNA off an elbow strike convicts man

FYI Tim

Candice Moncayo was running on the trail when she "was tackled and thrown to the side of the running trail, caught off guard and without warning," her sister wrote. "I thought he was going to rape me," Moncayo said of the overweight man who tackled her. "So I told him he would have to kill me first." "He picked her up by the shoulders and began shaking her relentlessly," she wrote. Moncayo fought her attacker, elbowing hard him in the nose. The shot made her assailant pause, allowing her to get out of his grasp and run away.
"All that was left of the ... attacker were the bruises he left on her and the DNA the police were able to swab from her elbow," according to the article.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/TheLaw/chelsea-king-disappearance-watching-sex-offenders/story?id=9985483

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Frank Frazetta

The name Frank Frazetta is recognized by many to be the father of fantasy art. He was one of my favorites and he passed away Monday, May 10. Coincidentally, he was in  a Ft. Myers hospital suffering from complications of a stroke, when he died. I was teaching a tai chi class at one of their hospitals that same day.
The piece at left is titled The Death Dealer. It's one of his best known and I have one of the few sculptures he made of it. I bought it from his wife, Ellie, years ago when they had his artwork in a private museum at Boca Grande, near here.
He will be missed.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Charleston PDS

Nick Dreiling hosted another successful Professional Development Seminar at his school this past weekend.
We covered a LOT of material and everyone's brains were full by the end of the day.

   Bruce Meyer came down from Columbia, SC and ran two classes for kids on Friday evening. His subject was how to use environmental tools as weapons when needed. He had the kids work with a book, a broom, and a chair among other items. At the end of the classes he talked with the kids about their conscience. It was interesting to watch their faces and hear their questions. Mr. Meyer always does a fantastic job with the kids and I love to watch him teach.

  Nick gave me the nickel tour of downtown Charleston. Next time we'll get out to see Ft. Sumter, where the Civil War started. On the downside, Delta Airlines earned their name; Don't Ever Leave The Airport. I could have driven home faster. Time to spare, go by air.
   I'll be going back to Charleston in the fall, probably September or October. Watch for dates.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

A Shot in the Arm

I remember over the course of my training and teaching that I'd get in a bit of a rut once in a while. Then I'd go to a seminar or my teacher would come to my school and I'd get pumped again. The senior guys in my school and I would agree that it was "a shot in the arm".
    There's something about that non-routine visit that re-awakens the enthusiasm. The combination of a gathering of like-minded people, exposure to new information, new ways to wreak havoc on a body and the "freak show".
   The "freak show" is what I think many people come to a seminar for. They want to see this guest instructor, particularly if they are famous, do their thing. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. It was always cool to see Ed Parker smoke through a technique. But he didn't do it often, especially as he got older. But the little flashes were often just as good.
    Some instructors do a "sell the sizzle, not the steak" presentation. They impress everyone with their speed, accuracy, power, etc and don't really teach anything. You go away thinking it was cool and all but when you think about it you realize you didn't really learn much. I believe I'm there to to teach -  not show how good I am (or you think I am). This is about making you better at your art.
   I remember being taught some things and taking them back to work on. We'd get frustrated because it didn't seem to work as it did in the seminar. One of the guys said "He made it work, why can't we?" I think there are lots of people who experience that and I commend them for coming back again and again to work it out. That's where the shot in the arm is important. If there's a little excitement generated by the class, seminar, tournament, or whatever, it's a good thing. Most of us need that to stay out of the rut. So I'd rather spend a little more time letting you work it in the seminar, so you get it.
   One that subject, I've also found that most people don't remember what they got in the seminar when asked later. we'd have a weekend thing and on Tuesday night I'd ask the guys what they did. Too often they couldn't really remember. I'd show then a bit and then they could do it but it showed me that lots of the stuff just doesn't stick. Maybe the teacher should require the classes right after the seminar to review what they learned instead of going on more new stuff. I tried that and it works.
   Overall, the new knowledge, meeting a "name" in the arts, working with a big group (big energy) and maybe getting a certificate is all good. It may help keep you motivated. It might give a story or two to tell.
I encourage students to take part in these things when given the opportunity. If you don't you're missing something. Even if it's bad. If it is you have something to measure against. If it's good you have more to add to your knowledgebase.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Charleston, SC this weekend

I'll be doing a Professional Development Seminar in Goose Creek this Saturday at Coastal Kenpo Karate. The last half of the original Orange belt techniques will be covered. Contact Nick Dreiling there or register on my site under seminars. http://www.leewedlake.com/index.asp?PageID=7

Big doing in CT in September

This was sent by Frank Shekosky in Middletown, CT. Benefit for kids, so I wanted to post it.

Hello all,
Please mark your calendars for Sunday September 12, 2010!
My wife Debbie and I are coordinating a martial arts tournament and seminars to benefit the Channel 3 kids camp. The channel 3 kids camp allows all kids regardless of financial status to participate.

The event will take place at Kaiser hall at Central CT State University in New Britain, CT.

The event will include competition for kids up to age 17 in sparring and forms. There will be several demo teams performing and I will be teaching a seminar along with several other Master level instructors including Dominick Violante, Chris Lacava, LT. Russ Taylor, and Hien Nguyen, who has done stunt work in films such as lethal weapon 4 and Power Rangers.

How you can participate
Along with competitors, we need: black belt judges, time keepers, and score keepers as well as several others to help with the event. Please contact us if you would like to participate! This is going to be a big event with lots of coverage since it is sponsored by channel 3, The Hartford Courant, and WTIC FM radio. It is also the camps 100th year!
About the kids camp
Each year more than 4,000 children from Connecticut and New England attend the Channel 3 Kids Camp, nestled on 350 acres in the historic communities of Andover and Coventry. While at camp, children ages 6 - 16 are able to escape the hustle and bustle of the 'real world’ with time spent in the country. Campers experience a care-free refuge for a healthy summer of play, the outdoors and making new friends with programs that promote confidence and independence.

We hope to hear from you or see you there!
Regards,
Sensei Frank Shekosky, Master Instructor
http://www.cromwellmartialarts.com/

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Chicago seminar

I was back home last weekend to work with Kurt Barnhart's group at Worth Martial Arts and the Japanese Cultural Center. The seminars were well-attended. We did ground work on Friday at Worth. I taught a combination of Judo pins, Russian Martial Arts (Systema) and Kenpo ground techniques.

On Saturday I did an intro to Yang Tai Chi. I was privileged to have my first tai chi teacher, Sifu Bill Grizzle, come by. I took my first lessons with him in TCC in 1985. He's still teaching up there. My old friend and judo partner Dave Zorich came by, too. We've been friends since we were kids. Zoran Sevic was there from Tom Saviano's White Tiger school. You may recognize his name from his website, http://www.kenpothoughts.com/.
 When I get up there, I try to get a sword lesson from Sensei Bob Garza. He teaches Iaido on Sunday mornings at the Worth dojo, A Center for Martial Arts on Harlem Ave. I enjoy his instruction. Being back at the beginner level in something keeps my perspectives fresh.

So, thanks to everyone who attended, Kurt and Barb for organizing and Bob for having me in his class. We plan to have another event in September.

Monday, May 3, 2010

A Lesson in Leadership

LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP: From a Janitor


Wharton Leadership Digest, December 2001

By Colonel James E. Moschgat, Commander of the 12th
Operations Group, 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph
Air Force Base, Texas

William “Bill” Crawford certainly was an unimpressive figure,one you could easily overlook during a hectic day at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Mr. Crawford, as most of us referred to him back in the late 1970s, was our squadron janitor.
While we cadets busied ourselves preparing for academic
exams, athletic events, Saturday morning parades and room inspections, or
never-ending leadership classes, Bill quietly moved about the squadron mopping and buffing floors, emptying trash cans, cleaning toilets, or just tidying up the mess 100 college-age kids can leave in a dormitory. Sadly, and for many years,few of us gave him much notice, rendering little more than a passing nod or throwing a curt, “G’morning!” in his direction as we hurried off to our daily duties.
Why? Perhaps it was because of the way he did his job-he always kept the
squadron area spotlessly clean, even the toilets and showers gleamed. Frankly,he did his job so well, none of us had to notice or get involved. After all, cleaning toilets was his job, not ours. Maybe it was is physical appearance that made him disappear into the background. Bill didn’t move very quickly and, in fact, you could say he even shuffled a bit, as if he suffered from some sort of injury. His gray hair and wrinkled face made him appear ancient to a group of young cadets. And his crooked smile, well, it looked a little funny. Face it, Bill was an old man
working in a young person’s world. What did he have to offer us on a personal level? Finally, maybe it was Mr. Crawford’s personality that rendered him almost invisible to the young people around him. Bill was shy, almost painfully so. He seldom spoke to a cadet unless they addressed him first, and that didn’t happen very often. Our janitor always buried himself in his work, moving about with stooped shoulders, a quiet gait, and an averted gaze. If he noticed the hustle and bustle of cadet life around him, it was hard to tell. So, for whatever reason, Bill blended into the woodwork and became just another fixture around the squadron. The Academy, one of our nation’s premier leadership laboratories, kept us busy from dawn till dusk. And Mr. Crawford...well, he was just a janitor.

That changed one fall Saturday afternoon in 1976. I was reading a book about World War II and the tough Allied ground campaign in Italy, when I stumbled across an incredible story. On September 13, 1943, a Private William Crawford from Colorado, assigned to the 36th Infantry Division, had been involved in some bloody fighting on Hill 424 near Altavilla, Italy. The words on the page leapt out at me: “in the face of intense and overwhelming hostile fire ... with no regard for personal safety ... on his own initiative, Private Crawford single-handedly attacked fortified enemy positions.” It continued, “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, the President of the
United States ...” “Holy cow,” I said to my roommate, “you’re not going to believe this, but I think our janitor is a Medal of Honor winner.” We all knew Mr. Crawford was a WWII Army vet, but that didn’t keep my friend from looking at me as if I was some sort of alien being. Nonetheless, we couldn’t wait to ask Bill about the story on Monday.
We met Mr. Crawford bright and early Monday and showed him the page in question from the book, anticipation and doubt in our faces. He stared
at it for a few silent moments and then quietly uttered something like, “Yep, that’s me.”
Mouths agape, my roommate and I looked at one another, then at the book, and quickly back at our janitor. Almost at once we both stuttered, “Why didn’t you ever tell us about it?” He slowly replied after some thought, “That was one day in my life and it happened a long time ago.”
I guess we were all at a loss for words after that. We had to hurry off to class and Bill, well, he had chores to attend to. However, after that brief exchange, things were never again the same around our squadron. Word spread like wildfire among the cadets that we had a hero in our midst-Mr. Crawford, our janitor, had won the Medal! Cadets who had once passed by Bill with hardly a glance, now greeted him with a smile and a respectful, “Good morning, Mr. Crawford.”
Those who had before left a mess for the “janitor” to clean up started taking it upon themselves to put things in order. Most cadets routinely stopped to talk to Bill throughout the day and we even began inviting him to our formal squadron functions. He’d show up dressed in a conservative dark suit and quietly talk to those who approached him, the only sign of his heroics being a simple blue, starspangled lapel pin.
Almost overnight, Bill went from being a simple fixture in our squadron to one of our teammates. Mr. Crawford changed too, but you had to look closely to notice the difference. After that fall day in 1976, he seemed to move with more purpose, his shoulders didn’t seem to be as stooped, he met our greetings with a direct gaze and a stronger “good morning” in return, and he flashed his crooked smile more often. The squadron gleamed as always, but everyone now seemed to notice it more. Bill even got to know most of us by our first names, something that didn’t happen often at the Academy. While no one ever formally acknowledged the change, I think we became Bill’s cadets and his squadron.
As often happens in life, events sweep us away from those in our past. The last time I saw Bill was on graduation day in June 1977. As I walked out of the squadron for the last time,he shook my hand and simply said, “Good luck, young man.”
With that, I embarked on a career that has been truly lucky and blessed. Mr. Crawford continued to work at the Academy and eventually retired in his native Colorado where he resides today, one of four Medal of Honor winners living in a small town.
A wise person once said, “It’s not life that’s important, but those you meet along the way that make the difference.” Bill was one who made a difference for me. While I haven’t seen Mr. Crawford in over twenty years,
he’d probably be surprised to know I think of him often. Bill Crawford, our janitor, taught me many valuable, unforgettable leadership lessons. Here are ten I’d like to share with you.
1. Be Cautious of Labels. Labels you place on people may define your
relationship to them and bound their potential. Sadly, and for a long time, we labeled Bill as just a janitor, but he was so much more. Therefore, be cautious of a leader who callously says, “Hey, he’s just an Airman.” Likewise, don’t tolerate the O-1, who says, “I can’t do that, I’m just a lieutenant.”

2. Everyone Deserves Respect. Because we hung the “janitor” label on Mr.
Crawford, we often wrongly treated him with less respect than others around us. He deserved much more, and not just because he was a Medal of Honor winner. Bill deserved respect because he was a janitor, walked among us, and was a part of our team.

3. Courtesy Makes a Difference. Be courteous to all around you, regardless of rank or position. Military customs, as well as common courtesies, help bond a team. When our daily words to Mr. Crawford turned from perfunctory “hellos” to heartfelt greetings, his demeanor and personality outwardly changed. It made a difference for all of us.

4. Take Time to Know Your People. Life in the military is hectic, but that’s no excuse for not knowing the people you work for and with. For years a hero walked among us at the Academy and we never knew it. Who are the heroes that walk in your midst?

5. Anyone Can Be a Hero. Mr. Crawford certainly didn’t fit anyone’s standard definition of a hero. Moreover, he was just a private on the day he won his Medal. Don’t sell your people short, for any one of them may be the hero who rises to the occasion when duty calls. On the other hand, it’s easy to turn to your proven performers when the chips are down, but don’t ignore the rest of the team. Today’s rookie could and should be tomorrow’s superstar.

6. Leaders Should Be Humble. Most modern day heroes and some leaders are
anything but humble, especially if you calibrate your “hero meter” on today’s athletic fields. End zone celebrations and self-aggrandizement are what we’ve come to expect from sports greats. Not Mr. Crawford-he was too busy working to celebrate his past heroics. Leaders would be well-served to do the same.

7. Life Won’t Always Hand You What You Think You Deserve. We in the military work hard and, dang it, we deserve recognition, right? However, sometimes you just have to persevere, even when accolades don’t come your way. Perhaps you weren’t nominated for junior officer or airman of the quarter as you thought you should - don’t let that stop you.

8. Don’t pursue glory; pursue excellence. Private Bill Crawford didn’t pursue glory; he did his duty and then swept floors for a living. No job is beneath a Leader. If Bill Crawford, a Medal of Honor winner, could clean latrines and smile, is there a job beneath your dignity? Think about it.

9. Pursue Excellence. No matter what task life hands you, do it well. Dr. Martin Luther King said, “If life makes you a street sweeper, be the best street sweeper you can be.” Mr. Crawford modeled that philosophy and helped make our dormitory area a home.

10. Life is a Leadership Laboratory. All too often we look to some school or PME class to teach us about leadership when, in fact, life is a leadership laboratory. Those you meet everyday will teach you enduring lessons if you just take time to stop, look and listen. I spent four years at the Air Force Academy, took dozens of classes, read hundreds of books, and met thousands of great people. I gleaned leadership skills from all of them, but one of the people I remember most is Mr. Bill Crawford and the lessons he unknowingly taught. Don’t miss your opportunity to learn.

Bill Crawford was a janitor. However, he was also a teacher, friend, role model and one great American hero. Thanks, Mr. Crawford, for some valuable
leadership lessons.

Dale Pyeatt, Executive Director of the National Guard Association of Texas,

comments: And now, for the “rest of the story”: Pvt William John Crawford was

a platoon scout for 3rd Platoon of Company L 1 42nd Regiment 36th Division

(Texas National Guard) and won the Medal Of Honor for his actions on Hill 424,

just 4 days after the invasion at Salerno.

On Hill 424, Pvt Crawford took out 3 enemy machine guns before darkness fell,

halting the platoon’s advance. Pvt Crawford could not be found and was

assumed dead. The request for his MOH was quickly approved. Major General

Terry Allen presented the posthumous MOH to Bill Crawford’s father, George, on

11 May 1944 in Camp (now Fort) Carson, near Pueblo. Nearly two months after

that, it was learned that Pvt Crawford was alive in a POW camp in Germany.

During his captivity, a German guard clubbed him with his rifle. Bill overpowered

him, took the rifle away, and beat the guard unconscious. A German doctor’s

testimony saved him from severe punishment, perhaps death. To stay ahead of

the advancing Russian army, the prisoners were marched 500 miles in 52 days

in the middle of the German winter, subsisting on one potato a day. An allied

tank column liberated the camp in the spring of 1945, and Pvt Crawford took his

first hot shower in 18 months on VE Day. Pvt Crawford stayed in the army before

retiring as a MSG and becoming a janitor. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan

officially presented the MOH to Bill Crawford.

William Crawford passed away in 2000. He is the only U.S. Army veteran and

sole Medal of Honor winner to be buried in the cemetery of the U.S. Air Force

Academy.

Note: Co. James Moschgat can be contacted at

james.moschgat@randolph.af.mil. A profile of William Crawford is available at

http://www.homeofheroes.com/profiles/profiles_crawford.html, and his Medal of

Honor citation can be found at www.army.mil/cmh-pg/mohiia1.htm.