James Frank Crutchfield

Korean War
Service #AO-736133
Unit35 FTR BOMB SQ 8 FTR BOMB GP
RankLieutenant Colonel U.S. Air Force
Date of DeathJuly 23 1952
StatusMissing In Action
Memorialized
Courts of the Missing
Court
8
Air Medal
Bronze Star
Distinguished Flying Cross
Korean Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Purple Heart
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
World War II Victory Medal
For his leadership and valor, Lieutenant Colonel Crutchfield was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Senior Pilot's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
Notes
Lieutenant Colonel Crutchfield was a decorated veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was the pilot of a F-80C Shooting Star fighter interceptor with the 35th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group. On July 23, 1952, he led a group of 20 fighters on an attack on enemy positions in Korea and was shot down. He parachuted safely to the ground and was declared as missing in action. He was presumed dead on March 31, 1954. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.