John Douglas Crawford Jr

Newport, RI - Lt. Col. John Douglas Crawford, Jr. Ret, 84, of 9 Gibson Park Place, Newport, formerly of Massachusetts, died at his home on Friday, October 15, 2004 of complications from cancer.He was the husband of the late Kathryn Stephens Crawford, who died in 1998. They were married for 54 years. Born in Baltimore, MD on September 21, 1920, he was the son of the late John D. and Margaret Crawford. Retired U.S Air Force Lt. Col. John D. Crawford, Jr. lived his life with the quiet determination and strength that helped him survive numerous combat missions as he navigated bombers in World War II and Korea. That strength of purpose also describes his years as a manager at Raytheon. Lt. Col. Crawford left college and enlisted in the Army Air Corps in the autumn of 1941, just prior to Pearl Harbor. He served as a B-17 navigator, guiding combat missions against enemy targets throughout two tours of duty in the Pactific Thearter during World War II and one tour in Korea. He was twice awarded the Silver Star. He received the Purple Heart for wounds received over the Short Land Islands in September 1942. He was also honored twice with the Distinguished Flying Cross. Although he spoke little of his wartime experiences, his integrity and resolve were apparent to his family throughouy his life. ?Our father served his country courageously and then came home to care for his family,? said his son Stephen, of Arlington, MA. ?He never really made a big deal of his wartime service.? He met his wife while attending Blue Ridge College in Virginia where he played football and she was a cheerleader. Fifteen years after leaving undergraduate school, he completed his college education at the University of Maryland. His graduate degreee is from the University Chicago. After his 20-year career in the Air Force with assignments at the Pentagon and military bases throughout the country, Lt. Col. Crawford and his wife settled in Chelmsford. There he worked as manager at Raytheon Missile Systems Division facilities in Bedford and Lowell Massachusetts, ending his 23-year career in 1989. The couple then retired to Newport, RI where they enjoyed elegance and the nautical spirit of the celebrated seaside community. He is survived by two sons John D. Crawford III of Chelmsford, MA, and Stephen G. Crawford of Arlington, MA, two daughters Dorothy C. Hanrahan of Leavenworth, KS, and Margot E. Crawford of Worcester, MA, his sister Elizabeth C. Grabarek of Forest Hill, MD and five grandchildren LCDR Patrick D. Hanrahan of San Diego, CA, Casey E. Hanrahan of Sun Valley, ID, Matthew Crawford of Chelmsford, MA, Katie Crawford of Los Angeles, CA, and Timothy M. Crawford of Worcester, MA, a son in law J. Dennis Hanrahan of Leavenworth, KS, and a daughter in law Catherine J. Crawford of Chelmsford, MA. His funeral and burial will take place in Arlington National Cemetery, on Wednesday, November 17, 2004, at 9:00AM.