Remember...
William Carlos Crookham
1924-1951
"Our soldiers fought in the Korean War to push back communism. As a result of their effort and the effort of our allies, South Korea is free today."
Pierre Poilievre
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Remember...William Carlos Crookham
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William Carlos Crookham (known to friends and family as "Duck") was born September 13, 1924, at Leon, Mason County, West Virginia. His parents were Homer Ray Crookham and Lena Doris Beaver Crookham. When Homer Ray, Duck's father, registered for the World War I draft in 1917, he stated that he was single and worked as a laborer at Centerburg, Ohio. Later that year, however (December), he married Lena. By the spring of the 1920 Federal Census, he was back in West Virginia, living at the time in the home of his parents, although he was married and he and Lena had started their family. Homer and Lena eventually became parents to eight children, all but one of whom lived to adulthood. William's siblings included Harold Ray, Otis, Phil, Anna Mae, June, and Crystal. Betty Jo was born in 1927 and died that same year. When Homer Ray Crookham registered for the older men's World War II draft in 1942, he indicated that his employment was that of laborer for the New York Central Railroad. (Family information from 1920, 1930, and 1940 census listings as well as My Reed Family Tree on Ancestry.com. The Find A Grave posting for Sfc. William Carlos Crookham also provided information.)
William Carlos Crookham served in both World War II and Korea. When he registered for the World War II draft on December 18, 1942, he stated that the person who would always know his address was his grandfather, Mr. Sherman Beaver, of Leon, West Virginia. Duck, however, was living at the time in Columbus, Ohio, where he was working for the Federal Glass Company. Less than six months later, on May 17, 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Huntington, West Virginia, and he continued to refer to his civilian occupation as a worker "in production of glass and glass products." William's headstone application indicates that he was a member of the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, at the time of his death in Korea, and because it saw continuous service from World War II through Korea, it is likely that it was his designated unit in World War II. (The 1950 Federal Census shows that he and his wife were living at Camp Campbell, Montgomery, Tennessee, so it's also likely he continued in the military after his service in World War II.) The following passage is from the 11th Airborne Division's website:
The 11th Airborne Division was formally activated at Camp Mackall, North Carolina, on 25 February 1943, commanded by Major General Joseph M. Swing. Initial combat formations included the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment; 187th and 188th Glider Infantry Regiments; 457th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion; and the 674th and 675th Glider Field Artillery Battalions.Between February and December 1943, MG Swing forged the unit into a combat-capable formation. The division's excellent performance in the North Carolina Knollwood Maneuvers convinced the War Department of the value of division-size Airborne units. MG Swing authored "War Department Circular 113," which became the bible for U.S. Airborne operations.
In early 1944, the 11th Airborne Division trained at Fort Polk, Louisiana, before deploying to New Guinea in the southwestern Pacific, where it completed its combat preparations.
On 18 November 1944, the 11th Airborne Division landed unopposed at Leyte, Philippines, and began combat operations. It destroyed two enemy divisions in jungle passes near Jaro, then conducted several small-scale amphibious assaults synchronized with airborne assaults.
Participating in the 31 January 1945 assault amphibious landing on Luzon, the 11th Airborne Division spearheaded the Sixth Army's attack, jumping into Tagaytay Ridge and fighting to liberate Manila. On 23 February 1945, the 11th Airborne Division executed a daring raid on a Japanese detention camp at Los Banos, Luzon, rescuing 2,147 Allied civilian internees. In addition, the men of the division conducted other difficult operations by sea and by parachute, keeping the enemy off-balance with well-timed precise attacks that continued until August, 1945.
The 11th Airborne Division then redeployed to Okinawa to be the vanguard of the post-war Japanese occupation forces. It remained in Japan until May 1949, when it relocated to Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
In 1950, the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment and 674th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion transformed into the 187th Regimental Combat Team. It fought for two years in Korea where it conducted two combat parachute assaults. ("Our History: The 11th Airborne Division and the Army in Alaska," accessed 6 August 2024, https://11thairbornedivision.army.mil/History/.)
On August 11, 1947, William Carlos Crookham had married Mary Elizabeth Zuspan in Gallia County, Ohio. They had a daughter, Carla Dawn Crookham. [After William's death Mary would remarry; her married name became Froendt.]
It was during his service in Korea that Sergeant First Class William Carlos Crookham paid the ultimate sacrifice. He was killed in action on March 26, 1951. A listing in the U.S., World War II Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954, offers the following diagnosis: "Wound, not elsewhere classified, missile, with no nerve or artery involvement; Location, head, generally; Causative Agent: Bullet, small arms: Not elsewhere classified."
| Sgt. Crookham's remains were located, identified, and returned to the States. A Purple Heart recipient, he was buried at the Leon Cemetery in Mason County. | ![Find A Grave photo of Sfc. William C. Crookham's military marker in Leon Cemetery, courtesy of Jim and Elizabeth [no surname provided]](crookhamwilliam02.jpg) |
Article prepared by Patricia Richards McClure
August 2024
West Virginia Archives and History welcomes any additional information that can be provided about these veterans, including photographs, family names, letters and other relevant personal history.