The Medal of Honor is the highest honor the United States can bestow on members of its armed forces. It is only presented by the President and is awarded in the name of the Congress of the United States. It is awarded " For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict with an opposing armed force".
Medal of Honor recipient S/Sgt John R. Crews, F Company, 253rd Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division.
Place and Date: Near Lobenbacherhof, Germany, 8 April 1945.
Entered Service: Bowlegs, Oklahoma
Birthplace: Golden, Oklahoma
Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 8 April 1945 near Lobenbacherhof, Germany. As his company was advancing toward the village under heavy fire, an enemy machine gun and automatic rifle with rifle support opened fire upon it from a hill on the right flank. Seeing that his platoon leader had been wounded by their fire, Sergeant Crews, acting on his own initiative, rushed the strongpoint with two men of his platoon. Despite the fact that one of these men was killed and the other badly wounded, he continued his advance up the hill in the face of terrific enemy fire. Storming the well-dug-in position single-handedly, he killed two of the crew of the machine gun at point blank range with his M-l rifle and wrested the gun from the hands of the German whom he had already wounded. He then charged the strongly emplaced automatic rifle. Although badly wounded in the thigh by crossfire from the remaining enemy, he kept on and silenced the entire position with his accurate and deadly rifle fire. His actions so unnerved the remaining enemy soldiers that seven of them surrendered and the others fled. His heroism caused the enemy to concentrate on him and permitted the company to move forward into the village. (Webmaster's note: S/Sgt Crews passed away on 25 September 1999)
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