Traverse City’s Unsung World War II Hero

Nov. 6, 2015

Citizens of Traverse City often point to the region’s history as a source of local pride. However, many are completely unaware that one of northern Michigan’s own sons received the United States’ highest military honor during one of the nation’s most trying times.

Col. "Nick" Demas Craw, born in Traverse City in 1900, posthumously received the Medal of Honor “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty,” during World War II. Today, the most prominent regional reminder of Craw’s sacrifice is a verdigrisencrusted plaque on the wall of the local Army Reserve Center. When questioned about Craw, an Army Reserve sergeant first class looked back at the painted image of the fallen soldier wearing his medal hanging next to the plaque and said, “Who? That guy?”

“You could ask a thousand people on the street and no one would know,” said local veteran Ret. Lt. Col. Terry Hawn. “Maybe one in 50 historians would know."

Hawn, an Apache helicopter pilot medically retired following wounds sustained in combat, started inquiring into Craw’s exploits after learning the Army Reserve Center was named after him. Perplexed no one could tell him more, Hawn decided to conduct his own research. Despite the scarcity of information available, he was able to piece together some details about the man’s life.

BRED TO GO, BORN TO DIE

Hawn likened Craw to Hemingway and said the young adventurer took after his father, a lifelong conservation officer. According to documents from the Air Force Historical Support Division, Craw “served briefly in World War I, was discharged and then entered the U.S. Military Academy in 1920.” Craw became a commissioned officer and joined the United States Army Air Service — the precursor to the present day United States Air Force — in 1926.

In 1942, Craw was scheduled to participate in the famous World War II Operation Torch, the amphibious invasion of North Africa. However, he volunteered to assist another officer, Maj. Pierpont Hamilton, in what would prove to be a fatal mission.

According to Hawn’s research, gleaned from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s records and other sources, Craw received the medal for his role in a critical mission through enemy lines.

The team was attempting to secure a ceasefire with entrenched French forces inland from the Moroccan coast. While the mission was initially deemed too dangerous, Craw convinced his superiors that success was possible and was given permission to advance.

Despite numerous setbacks and amid heavy shelling by French artillery, Craw and two others succeeded in landing on the beach at Mehdia Plage, several miles from French headquarters. Racing forward in a commandeered, uncovered, un-armored jeep, the party was “under constant low-level strafing from numerous enemy aircraft.” Their advance was also beset by incoming fire from U.S. naval guns targeting French forces.

Nearing enemy headquarters, Craw was killed instantly “by a sustained burst of machine gun fire at pointblank range from a concealed position near the road.” Despite his death, his comrades — who were subsequently captured — were eventually able to broker an uneasy truce between the fighting forces.

“That mission saved an untold number of lives,” said Hawn, referring to forces on both sides.

Craw and Hamilton were credited as the first Army Air Force recipients of the Medal of Honor in the war’s European-Mediterranean theater and the only Army Air Force members to receive the award while not involved in air combat.

SECURING THEIR LEGACY

Hawn relayed what he learned about Craw to Dan Lathrop, vice chairman of the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners. Lathrop, whose father was a Navy World War II veteran, agreed to help secure a more fitting legacy for the fallen soldier.

Together, the two began lobbying for the new regional Veteran’s Affairs Center to be named (or the current center to be renamed) after Craw. The new center is expected to open in 2017.

“This man is a Congressional Medal of Honor [recipient] and he’s right here from the Traverse City area; it would be the right thing to do to name this clinic after him,” Lathrop said. “I think that it’s very important that we recognize heroes in our own neighborhood.”

Hawn concurred with the need to recognize more than just Craw through the clinic’s dedication.

“It’s not so much to honor an individual man, but a whole generation,” he said.

Hawn hopes to eventually relocate the Reserve Center’s plaque and painting to the VA Center, where he feels both will be more visible and better cared for. He is also attempting to track down Craw’s surviving family to ask if they would donate any memorabilia, and perhaps even the medal.

Hawn sat down for a conversation with Rep. Dan Benishek regarding renaming the VA Clinic after Craw. Hawn said Benishek, a former 20-year Veteran Affairs physician and outspoken proponent of the Traverse City VA Clinic expansion, indicated he would work to pass legislation for the renaming.

In response to questions from the Northern Express on the congressman’s efforts, Benishek’s office issued the following statement: “Congressman Benishek is investigating the process for renaming VA facilities and he will be working with area stakeholders, as well as his Veterans Advisory Council, to develop a consensus behind any proposal to rename the VA Clinic in Traverse City.”

Though a local Benishek aid declined to talk specifically about potential renaming, he was able to clarify how the process would work.

“Any renaming of federal facilities needs to pass the House, the Senate and be signed into law,” said the aid. “Typically there’s not a lot of pushback.”

He did indicate the high volume of legislation already before Congress could potentially delay the process.

Though Benishek has said he will not run for another term, and his tenure is slated to end in early 2017, Lathrop and Hawn remain optimistic the congressman will join their renaming efforts.

Lathrop feels dedication to Craw and the men of his generation is integral to preserving the history of their service and sacrifice.

“There’s only a few of them left on the planet,” he said. “They really do serve as a wonderful example of how to serve your country unselfishly.”