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William J. 'Bill' Crandall Deland, FL QCWA # 22719 Chapter 125 |
Brigadier General
William Joseph Crandall was born in Ada, Okla., in 1920, the older of two sons of Burris and Frances (Davis) Crandall. During his teen years, Billy developed a passion for aircraft as a maintenance worker at the Tulsa Commercial Airport where he received flying lessons in lieu of a paycheck. He graduated from Tulsa Central High School and attended Oklahoma A&M College until November 1941 when he entered active military service as an aviation cadet. He completed pilot training at Luke Field, Ariz. and received his pilot wings and commission as second lieutenant in May 1942. Bill was an instructor pilot at Lemoore Army Air Base, Calif., then served in the Pacific Overseas Air Service Command, Phillipines, where he became a staff judge advocate. He was released from active duty in 1947.
Beginning in 1948, Bill worked in his family.s businesses - International Engine Rebuild and Crandall Engineering - in Garland and Irving, Texas, flying he and his mother on sales and marketing trips, and he also ran a part-time flying school.
After joining the Air Force Reserve in 1958, he served as flight commander, operations officer, training commander, instructor pilot, squadron commander and group commander. In 1967 he was transferred to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., first as assistant for Reserve affairs then was named Chief of the Operations and Training Division, Office of Air Force Reserve in 1969. In 1970 he assumed command of the 459th Military Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base. In 1973 he was ordered to active duty to serve as deputy to the chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., Bill was promoted to Brigadier General in 1971 and retired July 1, 1975.
Dating back to 1938, Bill accrued 6,500 hours of flying time and flying qualification on 30 different aircraft, both commercial and military. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Combat Readiness Medal, and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon. He served as a member of the Air Force Reserve Forces Policy Committee, the Military Airlift Command Policy Committee, and resident secretary of the Tactical Air Command Policy Committee.
Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ann, a son, James Edward Crandall, and a brother, Robert Burris Crandall. He is survived by a daughter, two grandsons and several grandchildren.
(biography written by William Crandall's daughter)