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William C. Craycroft, U.S.N.

William Clifton CRAYCROFT
Male 1925 - 1970


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  • Birth  19 Dec 1925  Decatur, Macon, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender  Male 
    Anecdote 
    • My father spent most his life working in factories, the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, and the Post Office. He told me that he did not want his children to have to work like he did but for them to get an education and do "clean" work. I remember that my father often worked 2 or more jobs and they were always physically demanding work.
    Milit-Beg  10 May 1944  [1] 
    • U.S. Navy, World War II, Pacific Ocean
    Milt-event  21 Nov 1944  [2] 
    • aboard the U.S.S. Corvus, AKA 26, Amphibious Cargo Ship
    Milt-event  07 Nov 1945  [3] 
    • aboard the U.S.S. Improve, AM 247, Minesweeper
    Milit-End  01 Jun 1946  [4] 
    • U.S. Navy, Honorable Discharge
    Occupation  Aft Jul 1946 
    Farmer, factory worker, mail carrier, railroad worker. 
    Residence  Between 03 Jan 1950 and 1956  Cook, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • I learned from my mother just yesterday that the reason my parents moved to Chicago was the urging of a wartime service buddy of my father's, Paul Shelton. After their arrival in Chicago, he made contact with another of his friends, known to me only as "Sarge and Betty". (Robert Craycroft, 12/26/1999)
    Residence  28 Sep 1950  2628 W. Potomac, Chicago, Cook, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  [5] 
    Residence  Between 1956 and 1969  Wheaton, DuPage, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last residence  Between 1969 and 1970  Decatur, Macon, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Name  Bill or Red Craycroft 
    • It should be noted that on his death certificate it shows him as a Junior. This was an error. Dad was never named a Junior on his birth certificate and never in his life did he or his father Clifton Craycroft ever refer to him as Junior. (Robert Craycroft, 8/5/2000)
    Died  07 Feb 1970  Decatur, Macon, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  [6] 
    Buried  10 Feb 1970  Bethany, Moultrie, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  [7] 
    Person ID  I4  Craycroft and Bresnan families
    Last Modified  12 Jan 2008 

    Father  William Clifton CRAYCROFT,   b. 17 Oct 1903, Dalton City, Moultrie, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Dec 1979, Sullivan, Moultrie, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother  Florence Henora GLEESPEN,   b. 03 Mar 1900, Jerseyville, Jersey, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 08 Sep 1986, Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Married  19 May 1925 
    Census  09 Apr 1930  Dora Township, Moultrie, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID  F6  Group Sheet

    Family  M.L. BRESNAN 
    Children 
     1. R.L. CRAYCROFT
    >2. G.W. CRAYCROFT
    >3. T.G. CRAYCROFT
    Family ID  F3  Group Sheet

  • Event Map
    		Event
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 19 Dec 1925 - Decatur, Macon, Illinois Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 28 Sep 1950 - 2628 W. Potomac, Chicago, Cook, Illinois Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Between 1956 and 1969 - Wheaton, DuPage, Illinois Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsLast residence - Between 1969 and 1970 - Decatur, Macon, Illinois Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 07 Feb 1970 - Decatur, Macon, Illinois Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - 10 Feb 1970 - Bethany, Moultrie, Illinois Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Maps 
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Photos
    William Clifton Craycroft, my father    		William Clifton Craycroft, my father
    This was taken on Christmas Eve probably in 1952 or 1953
    Status: Located
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    William Clifton Craycroft in New York City    		William Clifton Craycroft in New York City
    Mom and Dad went to New York City about 1954.
    Status: Located
    William Craycroft, Dad, on the right.    		William Craycroft, Dad, on the right.
    The man on the left is Ray Reef, who served on the U.S.S. Corvus with Dad.
    Status: Located
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    William Clifton Craycroft (Dad) enjoying the snow    		William Clifton Craycroft (Dad) enjoying the snow
    Status: Located
    Dad, William Clifton Crayroft, and his family    		Dad, William Clifton Crayroft, and his family
    After graduating from Basic Training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. (Hold mouse over faces to see names)
    Status: Located
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    The Craycroft family taken after Uncle Fred completed Basic Training and before shipping out to Europe.    		The Craycroft family taken after Uncle Fred completed Basic Training and before shipping out to Europe.
    Hold mouse cursor over faces to see names.
    Status: Located
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    Dad, Grandad, Aunt Sharon and Greatgrandma Craycroft    		Dad, Grandad, Aunt Sharon and Greatgrandma Craycroft
    This was probably taken in early 1944, before Dad joined the Navy.

    Hold mouse cursor over faces to see names.
    Status: Located
    Dad and Aunt Sharon    		Dad and Aunt Sharon
    Status: Located
    Dad in Basic Training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center    		Dad in Basic Training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center
    William Clifton Craycroft
    Status: Located
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    John Sandon and William Clifton Craycroft    		John Sandon and William Clifton Craycroft
    John was Dad's cousin and probably his best friend as well.
    Status: Located
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    U.S.S. Corvus, AKA 26. My father, William Clifton Craycroft, served aboard this ship from 21 Nov 1944 to 7 Nov 1945    		U.S.S. Corvus, AKA 26. My father, William Clifton Craycroft, served aboard this ship from 21 Nov 1944 to 7 Nov 1945
    The U.S.S. Corvus was an attack cargo ship commissioned on 20 Nov 1944 at Providence, Rhode Island. Dad was on the initial crew. they sailed from Providence 2 Dec 1944 for San Francisco then on to Leyte, Philippines. The Corvus was part of the invasion of Okinawa on 1 Apr 1945.
    Status: Located
    Crew roster of the U.S.S. Corvus, including my father William Clifton Craycroft    		Crew roster of the U.S.S. Corvus, including my father William Clifton Craycroft
    Status: Located
    U.S.S. Improve, AM 247, minesweeper. My father, William Clifton Craycroft served aboard the Improve from 7 Nov 1945 until his discharge on 1 Jun 1946.    		U.S.S. Improve, AM 247, minesweeper. My father, William Clifton Craycroft served aboard the Improve from 7 Nov 1945 until his discharge on 1 Jun 1946.
    Improve sailed 17 September, 1945, for Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, Saipan, and Okinawa. She arrived off Sasebo 17 November, 1945 for additional minesweeping duty and finished the year working off Formosa and in the Pescadores. In March 1946 the ship was at Shanghai, earmarked for transfer to China, but she was subsequently returned to Seattle and decommissioned 6 November 1946.
    Status: Located

    Documents
    William Clifton 'Bill' Craycroft birth certificate. Bill was the son of William Clifton Craycroft and Florence Henora Gleespen.    		William Clifton "Bill" Craycroft birth certificate. Bill was the son of William Clifton Craycroft and Florence Henora Gleespen.
    Bill was my father.
    Status: Located
    William Clifton 'Bill' Craycroft Coroner's Certificate of Death. Bill was the son of William Clifton Craycroft and Florence Henora Gleespen.    		William Clifton "Bill" Craycroft Coroner's Certificate of Death. Bill was the son of William Clifton Craycroft and Florence Henora Gleespen.
    Bill was my father.
    Status: Located
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

    Headstones
    William Clifton Craycroft, my father    		William Clifton Craycroft, my father
    Status:

  • Sources 
    1. [S90] U.S. Navy personnel file, The following information is abstracted from the Notice of Separation From U.S. Naval Service:

      Date of Entry into Active Service - 5/10/1944
      Net Service (duration of service) - 2 years, 1 month
      Vessels and Stations served on -
      NTS (Naval Training Station) Great Lake, IL.
      ATB NOB NORVA (Norfolk, Virginia),
      NTS Newport, R.I.,
      USS Corvus (AKA-26) (Amphibious Cargo Ship)
      USS Improve (AM-247) (Minesweeper).

    2. [S90] U.S. Navy personnel file, 26 January 1945: Crossed the 180th Meridian at 0500 this date.

      1 April 1945: Participated this date in the initial amphibious assault on the west coast of OKINAWA GUNTO, in the Ryukyu Group of the home islands of Japan. During the periods of the initial assault and subsequent unloading from 1 April to 10 April 1945, while this vessel was subjected to numerous heavy, concentrated aerial bombings and suicide attacks, he displayed high devotion to duty in keeping with the best traditions of the Naval Service.

      25 September 1945: Participated this date in the initial landing of Occupation Forces at Aomori, Honshu, Japan.

      7 November 1945: Transferred this date to U.S.S. IMPROVE (AM-247) for duty..

    3. [S90] U.S. Navy personnel file, 3 January 1946: During period 15 November to 21 December 1945 participated in operation SHERLY, which involved Mine Sweeping Operations in and around the Island of Formosa (Taiwan) and the Straits of Formosa. This operation was accomplished successfully despite adverse conditions..

    4. [S90] U.S. Navy personnel file, 1 June 1946: Declared lack of intention of remaining in the naval service after formal interview with the recruiting officer. The advantages and inducements of remaining in the naval service were properly explained.

      1 June 1946: Entitled to discharged "Under Honorable Conditions" for the convenience of the government..

    5. [S1156] Gary William Craycroft Record of Birth, (28 Sep 1950).

    6. [S264] Death Cert., Wm. C. Craycroft, He died as a result of a freak auto accident when the steering wheel assembly broke and his car veered across a bridge (Lost Bridge in Decatur, Illinois) and through a cast aluminum guard rail into Lake Decatur. He was trapped in the car and was drowned..

    7. [S264] Death Cert., Wm. C. Craycroft.


  

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