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United States Army Staff Sergeant John R. Crews
Warriors Citation
CREWS, JOHN R. (Choctaw)
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company F, 253d Infantry, 63d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Lobenbacherhof,
Germany, 8 April 1945. Entered service at: Bowlegs, Okla. Birth: Golden, Okla. 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 machinegun and automatic rifle with rifle support
opened upon it from a hill on the right flank. Seeing that his platoon leader had been wounded by their fire, S/Sgt. Crews,
acting on his own
initiative, rushed the strongpoint with 2 men of his platoon. Despite the fact that 1 of these warriors was killed and the
other was 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 2 of the crew of the
machine-gun at pointblank range with his M 1 rifle and wrested the gun from the hands of the German whom he had already wounded.
He then with his rifle 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 7 of them surrendered and the others fled. His warrior heroism caused the enemy to concentrate
on him and permitted his company to move forward into the village. From: historical accounts & records
LINK TO BRAVEHORSE WARRIORS VOLUME TWO
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