William Crumm

William Joseph Crumm (September 20, 1919 – July 24, 1967), was a United States Air Force Major General. He commanded the 3d Air Division during the Vietnam War, from 1965 until his death in a B-52 collision over the South China Sea.

Early life and career
Major 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.

His first assignment was as a B-17 pilot with the 91st Bomb Group, based in the European Theatre 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.

Major General Crumm assumed command of the 61st Bomb Squadron in Smoky Hill Army Air Base in Kansas, where he successfully moved the squadron to Guam. In 1946, he transferred to Strategic Air Command as assistant training officer in the Flying Training Division, and would in rapid succession hold positions as chief of the Bomb 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 General Crumm assumed another squadron command—the 344th Bomb Squadron, based at Spokane Air Force Base in Washington. During January 1949, he assumed the duties as 98th Bomb Group director of operations at Spokane AFB.

Crumm returned to SAC in 1950, as chief of the Special Projects Division, Director of Operations. In 1953 he moved to the Operational Plans Division within the Director of Operations at SAC. In October 1954, after attending the B-47 Advanced Flying School at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas, he was assigned to March Air Force Base, California, first as deputy commander of the 22nd Bomb Wing, then as Fifteenth Air Force director of operations.

He moved to Greenland in September 1956, serving as task force commander at Thule Air Force Base. April 1957 saw his return to March AFB, as commander of the 320th Bomb Wing. In October 1958, Crumm transferred to Headquarters, U.S. Air Force in Washington, D.C. as chief of the Strategic Division, reporting to the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations. In May 1960, he was assigned as chief of the Atomic Operations Division, J-3, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and in August of that year returned to SAC as the senior Air Force member to the newly organized staff, director, strategic target planning. In June 1962, he became that group's chief of operations.

He was assigned as commander, 3rd Air Division, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in July 1965.

Death
On July 24, 1967, Major General William J. Crumm died when the B-52 Stratofortress he was flying in collided with another B-52 over the South China Sea. At the time of the collision, both aircraft were en route to a bombing mission over Vietnam. He was the first Air Force general officer killed in Vietnam. His remains were never recovered; a memorial headstone is located at Arlington National Cemetery.

Awards and Decorations
Major General Crumm was rated as a Command Pilot. His awards included the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.