The Veterans

Richard Crotty









Richard Crotty was a sergeant in Company A of the 15th Pennsylvania Regiment during the Spanish-American War. He is in the front row in the center with his arms crossed. This picture was photographed from a book that used to be in the Heritage Room at the Erie County Public Library when the library was located on Perry Square. The book disappeared some time ago. (Click on the write-up to enlarge).

Anna Crotty

If I remember correctly, Anna said that one day during the war, she decided to go up to the recruiter's to inquire about the Woman's Auxiliary Army Corps - WAAC. She came home and announced that she had joined! This raised quite a stir in the family. In early 1943 she attended Administrative School in Daytona Beach, Florida. She then was posted to Baer Field, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Later that year the WAAC was converted to Woman's Army Corps WAC. As a WAC Anna served as a Supply Clerk with the rank of corporal. She was discharged in early December, 1945.

John Crotty

Johnny was drafted into the Army in August 1941. He was in the Ninth Air Force Service Command, which serviced the fighter planes and bombers. He was stationed in England and went with the D-Day invasion into France.

The following shows a letter which was given to the troops as the D-DAY invasion began. It is from General Eisenhower. There are also two pictures which were taken following the Liberation of Paris. One is of Johnny holding a baby in the French countryside in 1944, and the other shows him as a victorious American soldier holding a tattered American flag.

Richard Crotty

All that is know about Richard's militay service is that it earned him the right to be buried in Calverton National Cemetery on Long Island in New York.

Michael Jackson

Mike was in the Army from June 25, 1942 until December 19, 1945. In 1943 he was stationed at Camp Howze, Texas. He was in the 86th infantry division, 404th field artillery battalion. The 86th was also know as the Blackhawk Division. His Military Operational Speciality (MOS) was 814 - Operations NCO. Steve Barron, who is currently an Army lieutenant wrote the following:

An operations NCO would assist in running the operations center ( a TOC, Tactical Operations Center). In my day, we have our TOC filled with digital maps with live feed showing where all the troops are in sector. Soldiers send reports to the TOC, and their Stryker vehicles send off an encrypted FM signal that transmits back to the TOC so we can see their location at all times. We project live video streams from un-manned aircraft and show this in the TOC, amongst many other digital methods. Mike Jackson would probably manage the TOC in a similar way. In his day, he probably received continuous reports over an AM radio, and compiled reports for the Commander. He would update a paper map with symbols showing the status of everything on the battlefield. He would manage all the soldiers who would be constantly monitoring reports from troops on the ground. He would have to maintain clear situational awareness at all times to brief any high ranking officer who came by at any time.

Mike kept a record of his European tour of duty. It follows (click on each page to enlarge).

After Victory in Europe (VE Day), the 86th returned to New York. After a short leave they were off to the Philippines. Dede has a copy of a map showing the return route from the Philippines, and a 'certificate' that shows he crossed the dateline on August 27, 1945. Mike came back on the USS Adm Hugh Rodman.

William Rastatter

Willie (Bill) was a Staff Sergeant in the Army, and was stationed at Frederick Army Airfield, Frederick, Oklahoma. He was a Physical Training Instructor training pilots PT, how to land after a jump, hand to hand combat, and how to protect themselves and a lot more. He also served at Randolph Field, San Antonio, TX. He was up for promotion to Sergeant Major, and the war ended.

(Click on newspaper clipping to unlarge)


Norma Crotty

Norma was a registered nurse in the Army Nurse Corp. She spent most of her service time at the 809th Army Air Force depot in Erie, and then with the VA. Later she was employed at St. Vincent's.

Below is her graduation picture from St. Alexis College in Cleveland, Ohio in 1941.