Louis C. Crowder

Louis C. Crowder

Cpl. Crowder wears the Ike Jacket with Distinguished Unit Badge with oak leaf cluster on his right side. On his left he wears the Parachutist Badge, Unknown Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Good Conduct Medal, EAME Campaign Medal with four bronze star devices and the Combat Infantryman Badge

NAME: Louis C. Crowder

ASN: 39462148

PLACE OF BIRTH: Ivy, Arkansas

DATE OF BIRTH: 18 Oct 1923

DATES OF SERVICE: 12 Feb 1943 - 24 Oct 1945

UNIT ASSIGNED: HHC 509th PIB

353rd Fighter Group

CAMPAIGNS: Naples-Foggia, Anzio, Rome-Arno, Southern France, Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland

AWARDS: Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge with one combat jump star, Purple Heart Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge with oak leaf cluster, EAME Campaign Medal with arrowhead device and five bronze star devices, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Four Overseas Service Bars

SUMMARY OF SERVICE:

18 Oct 1923 - Born in Ivy, Arkansas

00 ??? 1935 - His family moved from Arkanas to Washington State in 1935 when he was twelve years old. The move out west was inspired by his father's pursuit of employment within the booming fruit industry of Eastern Washington State. The family relocated in Malott, Washington in the Okanogan Valley which was then surrounded by massive apple orchards. Louis Crowder later turned that fruit industry experience into a very successful lifetime career.

12 Feb 1943 - Enlisted at Spokane, Washington - NARA Enlistment Record

20 Feb 1943 - Entered Active Service into the Air Corps as Airplane and Engine Mechanic.

ARMY SERIAL NUMBER	39462148	39462148
NAME	CROWDER#LOUIS#C#########	CROWDER#LOUIS#C#########
RESIDENCE: STATE	97	WASHINGTON
RESIDENCE: COUNTY	053	PIERCE
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT	9782	SPOKANE WASHINGTON
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY	12	12
DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH	02	02
DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR	43	43
GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION	PVT#	Private
GRADE: CODE	8	Private
BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION	BI#	Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
BRANCH: CODE	00	Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
FIELD USE AS DESIRED	#	#
TERM OF ENLISTMENT	5	Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
LONGEVITY	###	###
SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL	0	Civil Life
NATIVITY	87	ARKANSAS
YEAR OF BIRTH	23	23
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP	1	White, citizen
EDUCATION	1	1 year of high school
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION	530	Plumbers, gas fitters, and steam fitters
MARITAL STATUS	6	Single, without dependents
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY	7	Selectees (Enlisted Men)
CARD NUMBER	#	#
BOX NUMBER	1439	1439
FILM REEL NUMBER	7.10#	7.10#

20 Jul 1943 - Departed US for EAME Theater

06 Aug 1943 - Arrived in EAME Theater

00 Jan 1944 - Small Pox Vaccine

22 Jan 1944 - Amphibious Assault on Anzio, Italy, Operation SHINGLE

10 Apr 1944 - Pvt. Louis C. Crowder 39462148 HHC 509th PIB GO 5 Award of Combat Infantryman Badge

15 Aug 1944 - Parachuted into Southern France, Operation ANVIL-DRAGOON

19 Aug 1944 - Wounded in Action, Southern France

15 Oct 1944 - Award of the Purple Heart Medal, GO 17, HQ 509th PIB

00 Nov 1944 - Typhus Vaccine

22 Dec 1944 - Participated in the Ardennes Counter-offensive

00 ??? 1945 - Recieved severe frostbite, hospitalized for a substanial amount of time for this injury. At first the physicians thought he would probably need an amputation right below the both knees. Eventually the frost bite moved down his legs and settled in his feet. They saved his legs and feet but he had trouble with his feet from that point until his death

00 ??? 1945 - Transferred to 353rd Fighter Group

00 Mar 1945 - Tetanus Vaccine

00 Sep 1945 - Typhoid Vaccine

11 Oct 1945 - 353rd Fighter Group Departed Raydon, England for the US

11 Oct 1945 - Departed EAME Theater for US

16 Oct 1945 - 353rd Fighter Group Arrived at Camp Kilmer, NJ

16 Oct 1945 - Arrived in US

18 Oct 1945 - 353rd Fighter Group was Inactivated at Camp KIlmer, NJ

24 Oct 1945 - Cpl. Louis C. Crowder, Honorably Discharged, Camp Beale, CA

06 Dec 1947 - Louis Crowder marries Evelyn Vance

He went on to become a self made mechnical engineer genius of sorts by inventing and patenting equipment that controls the atmosphere in large fruit warehouses and utimately preserves the freshly picked crops.

22 Mar 1986 - Passed away

This photo is a reversed image. Pvt. Louis C. Crowder at Fort Benning, GA having recently completed training at The Parachute School proudly displays his Parachutist Badge and Marksmanship Badge. Patch on his shoulder is that of Airborne Command worn by students and instructors.

Pvt. Crowder in Naples, Italy spring 1944 wears a tanker jacket with theater made patches - Parachutist Badge, 509th Geronimo unit patch and Fifth US Army Patch.

Photo of Pvt. Louis Crowder taken on or about 18 Oct 1944 in front of the town fountain in Lantosque, France. Reminants of spray paint can still be seen on his jump jacket. Also note the M3 fighting knife tucked behind his .45 holster, this was a common practice in the 509th PIB.

Reverse of photo

Letter sent to parents of Louis Crowder informing them that he was wounded in action but ok and would hear from him soon.

Louis and Evelyn (Vance) Crowder Wedding Photo 6 Dec 1947

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