William Crumm

William Joseph Crumm
Major General WIlliam J. Crumm, USAF
Born	September 20, 1919 New York City, New York
Died	July 24, 1967 South China Sea
Place of burial	Arlington National Cemetery (memorial headstone; body not recovered)
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army Air Forces United States Air Force
Years of service	1941-1967
Rank	Major General
Unit	3d Air Division
Commands held	3d Air Division, Strategic Air Command
Battles/wars	World War II Vietnam War †
Awards	Legion of Merit (2), Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Air Medal (4)

William Joseph Crumm (September 20, 1919 – July 24, 1967), was a United States Air Force major general who was killed in July 1967, during the Vietnam War. General Crumm commanded the 3d Air Division from 1965 until his death in a B-52 mid-air collision with another B-52 bomber over the South China Sea. General Crumm was the first American general officer and the first of two Air Force general officers (pilots) who were killed during the Vietnam War.

General Crumm was born on September 20, 1919, in New York City. He entered the military in 1941, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army Air Forces and received his wings in 1942.

General Crumm's first assignment was as a B-17 bomber pilot with the 91st Bombardment Group, based in the European Theater of Operations. Upon returning to the states, he lectured at thirty combat crew schools and every major aircraft factory as a member of the "Most Deserving Bomber Crew of the 8th Air Force". In May 1943, he was transferred to the 796th Bomb Squadron at Alexandria, Louisiana as Operations Officer, and later that year moved to the staff of Second Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

He assumed command of the 61st Bombardment Squadron at Smoky Hill Army Air Field in Kansas, where he successfully moved the squadron to Guam. In 1946, he transferred to Headquarters, Strategic Air Command (SAC) as assistant training officer in the Flying Training Division, and would in rapid succession hold positions as chief of the Bombardment Section and Training Section deputy and acting chief. He left SAC in August 1947 to attend the Air Command and Staff School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. In July 1948, he assumed another squadron command—the 344th Bombardment Squadron, based at Spokane Air Force Base in Washington. During January 1949, he assumed the duties as 98th Bombardment Group director of operations at Spokane AFB.