More detail on this person: Colonel William E.
Crouch Jr., USA (Retired) passed away on
Thursday, September 19, 2013 in Panama City, FL.
Bill was born in Laurel, Delaware on May 28th,
1928. He attended Laurel High School and enlisted
in the US Army Air Corps after graduation in 1946.
Bill was selected to attend the United States
Military Academy at West Point, NY and graduated
in 1951. While at West Point, he met the love of
his life, Betty Jane (BJ) Macaulay, whom he
married after graduating and being commissioned
as Second Lieutenant.
Bill served with distinction during his 30 year
Army Career. As a Field Artillery Officer, he
first served with the 82d Airborne Division, then
deployed to the Korean Conflict in November 1952
with the 48th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th
Infantry Division. After returning home, he
attended Artillery courses at Fort Sill, OK, and
Fort Bliss, TX where Bill was assigned as an
instructor. 1n 1955, Bill and BJ were blessed with
their daughter Deborah Ann.
In 1957, after graduating from the Artillery
Officers' Advanced Course, then Captain Crouch
started the second phase of his Army Career in
Army Aviation. Bill attended Mississippi State
University where he earned a Master of Science
degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1959.
Following graduation, he was assigned to Fort
Rucker for flight training and earned his Army
aviator wings in 1960. He remained at Fort Rucker,
serving three years at the United States Army
Aviation Test Board, He was then assigned to and
graduated from the United States Army Command
and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, KS
in 1964.
Bill deployed on his first tour in Vietnam as
Light Aviation Project Officer, developing
aviation combat tactics and techniques. Returning
home, he assumed duties as Chief, Aircraft Branch
of the Combat Development Command's Aviation
Agency. Bill applied for and was selected for the
United States Naval Test Pilot School. After
graduation Bill was assigned to the United States
Army Aviation Test Activity at Edward Air Force
Base, CA as an experimental test pilot, Chief,
Flight Test Engineering, and later Deputy
Commander.
In 1969, he returned to Vietnam as commander of
the 9th Aviation Battalion, 9th Infantry Division,
and later as Executive Officer, 17th Aviation
Group. He returned home to attend the United
States Army War College and returned to Vietnam
in 1971 to command the 101st Aviation Group,
101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). When his unit
redeployed to the United States in January 1972,
Bill served as G-3, 1st Aviation Brigade, and
later as Deputy Commander for Operations, 3d
Brigade (Separate), 1st Cavalry Division.
As a Colonel, Bill served in the Pentagon as Chief
of Airmobility Division (later reorganized as the
Aviation Systems Division) in the Office of the
Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development,
and Acquisition until July 1977. He concluded his
military career in 1981 as Commander, U.S. Army
Aviation Development Test Activity in Fort Rucker,
AL. He continued to work with Army Aviation as a
member of industry until his retirement in 1993.
Bill was the recipient of numerous military
awards. They included the Legion of Merit with
three Oak Leaf Clusters, Distinguished Flying
Cross with an Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal
with a âÇoVâÇ¥ device for Valor and three Oak Leaf
Clusters, Air Medal with 32 awards, Army
Commendation Medal with a âÇoVâÇ¥ device for
Valor and an Oak Leaf Cluster, and many foreign
awards.
Upon retirement Bill and BJ moved to Panama City
Beach, Florida and although a long time boat
owner, Bill decided he needed to take a boating
safety course to learn more about boating. One
thing led to another and he joined the Flotilla 19
of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary in Panama City
Beach. Bill started out as an instructor and
shortly thereafter was appointed as Flotilla
Finance Officer. Other staff assignments included
Personnel Services Officer and Communications
Services Officer. His leadership positions
included service as Flotilla Vice Commander,
Flotilla Commander, Division Vice Captain,
Division Captain, District Rear Commodore and
District Vice Commodore, and in 2007 he was
elected Commodore of the Coast GuardâÇÖs
Eighth District Coastal Region, with
responsibility for all Auxiliary activities from
the Arizona / New Mexico state line to St. Marks,
FL, and covering all or part of eight southern
states. BillâÇÖs contributions to Boating Safety
and the Auxiliary were extensive, and he received
numerous awards, including the prestigious Martin
S Herz Award for inspirational leadership in early
2013. He continued to be active as an instructor
and advisor until his passing.
Bill is survived by his wife of 62 years BJ,
daughter Deborah Hesson and son-in-law Colonel
James Hesson (USA Ret) (Huntsville, AL)brothers
Donald (Seaford, DE), and Francis Crouch (Delmar,
DE), sister Jean Span (Burk, VA), and his
grandchildren, Captain James Hesson (USAF)
(Charleston, SC), Stephen Hesson (Huntsville, AL),
and Kirsten Hesson (Huntsville, AL).
A memorial service will be at 2:00 P.M., Saturday
September 28, 2013 at Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral
Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests
donations be made to the Wounded Warriors
Project (4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300,
Jacksonville, Florida 32256) in his name. Colonel
CrouchâÇÖs remains will be interred at Arlington
National Cemetery with military honors for his
service to the nation at a later date.
Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 04/13/2025
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