Tom Hill Crawdford

Col. Tom Hill Crawford September 20, 1920 – October 27, 2009 “Col. Tom” Hill Crawford, 89, of Bedford, Texas died October 27, 2009, at Eden Estates Senior Community. Services will be held on Saturday, October 31 at 1:00 p.m. at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home, Waco, Texas. Burial, with Full Military Honors, will be at Oakwood Cemetery immediately after the service. Col. Tom was born on September 20, 1920 in Kansas City, Missouri. His parents were Charles Wesley Crawford and Opal Hill Crawford. After graduating from Charleston High School, Col. Tom attended John Brown University for 3 years. While at John Brown University, he earned his Private Pilots Airman Certificate on September 19, 1940. On May 21, 1942, Col. Tom joined the United States Army Air Corps later to become the United States Air Force. Upon completing his ground training, Col. Tom took his first and only certification flight for his Army Air Corps Pilot License in an AT-6 Texan Trainer and immediately received his certification and an immediate transfer to attend Advanced Flying School followed by Instrument Flying School for the B-26 Marauder. During the next 5 years of service, Col. Tom received many commendations and honors including the World War II Victory Medal, the Army Commendation Ribbon, the American Campaign Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal before Honorably Discharged on February 19, 1947. During his service, he met the love of his life, Billie Bob McBay after seeing her portrait in the window of a Photography Studio in Waco, Texas. He found out her name from the photographer and commenced to search and find this beautiful woman. He succeeded and married Billie Bob on May 18th, 1943. The onset of the Korean War reactivated Col. Tom to the now United States Air Force where he served his country honorably until February, 1974 and awarded many more honors and commendations for his service as a Pilot, a Commander/Director as well as his work with Intelligence and Security Division - Department of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.. Col. Tom flew over 30 different military configurations during his career in the USAF including Fighters, Strategic Bombers and Airlift aircraft. He and John Doolittle, son of Jimmy Doolittle, were included in the group of first pilots for the first Swept-Wing Multi-Engine Jet Bomber, the B47 Stratojet, which quickly became the foundation of the Air Force’s newly formed “Strategic Air Command”. Col. Tom was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and his life love, Billie Bob. He is survived by his two children; his daughter, Frances Brent, his grandson, Robert Blair Wolverton and his great granddaughter, Zoë; his son, Tom Hill Crawford Jr., his wife Judy and his grandson, Tom Hill Crawford III Trey. The family is especially appreciative for the love extended by our extended family at Eden Estates, Nurse Jessica Hopkins and Samuel Jegede of Integra Hospice, Nurse Kim Skinner, Travis Holmes and Jeff Nash of Hospice Compassus and Dr. Adel Zakhary and Nurse Tracey for their continual care in 2009. In lieu of flowers, the family invites memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org and/or the Liver Foundation www.liverfoundation.org. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.WilkirsonHatchBailey.com.