This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SSgt Robert Bruce McClelland, Jr.
to remember
Crouch, Horace Ellis, Lt Col USAF(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Columbia, South Carolina
Last Address Columbia, South Carolina
Date of Passing Dec 21, 2005
Location of Interment Greenlawn Memorial Park - Columbia, South Carolina
He was the navigator-bombardier in crew #10 pn the Doolittle Raid. After the raid he flew additional missions in the CBI Theater. He served as an officer 1940-57 and as an enlisted man 1937-39 and from 1958 until he retired from the USAF May 1, 1962.
His DFC citation: Awarded for actions during World War II
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Horace Ellis Crouch (ASN: 0-395839), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement as Navigator of a B-25 Bomber of the 1st Special Aviation Project (Doolittle Raider Force), while participating in a highly destructive raid on the Japanese mainland on 18 April 1942. Lieutenant Crouch with 79 other officers and enlisted men volunteered for this mission knowing full well that the chances of survival were extremely remote, and executed his part in it with great skill and daring. This achievement reflects high credit on himself and the military service. Action Date: April 18, 1942
Division: Doolittle Tokyo Raider Force Crew #10: (Plane 40-2250, target Tokyo.) 89th Recon Sq. L-R: Lt. Horace E. Crouch (navigator/bombardier), Lt. Richard O. Joyce (pilot), unidentified gunner, who was replaced at the last minute & did not go on mission, Lt J. Royden Stork (co-pilot), Sgt. George F. Larkin, Jr. (flight engineer). The fifth member, S/Sgt. Edwin W. Horton, Jr. (gunner) is not pictured. (USAF photo)
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The Air Force Reserve Command is a Major Command of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federally controlled Air Reserve Component of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of duly appointed commissioned officers and enlisted airmen.
AFRC supports the Air Force mission to defend the United States through the control and exploitation of air and space by supporting Global Engagement. AFRC also plays an integral role in the day-to-day Air Force mission and is not strictly a force held in reserve for possible war or contingency operations.
The federal reserve component of the United States Air Force, AFRC has approximately 450 aircraft assigned for which it has sole control. as well as access to several hundred additional active duty USAF aircraft via AFRC "Associate" wings that are collocated with active duty Air Force wings, sharing access to those aircraft.. The inventory includes the latest, most capable models of aircraft that are also assigned to the active-duty U.S. Air Force. On any given day, 99 percent of AFRC's aircraft are mission-ready and able to deploy within 72 hours.
The purpose of the Air Force Reserve as derived from Title 10 United States Code is to:
Provide combat-ready units and individuals for active duty whenever there are not enough trained units and people in the Regular component of the Air Force to perform any national security mission.
