Medal of Honor: Demas T. Craw – World War II (Operation Torch) – November 8, 1942
He volunteered for a mission others called suicide—riding straight into enemy lines to stop a war before it began. Colonel Demas T. Craw faced certain death at Port Lyautey, driven by courage and the hope of peace over bloodshed.
November 12, 2025
Name: Demas Thurlow Craw
Rank: Colonel
Organization: U.S. Army Air Corps
Place and Date: Near Port Lyautey, French Morocco – 8 November 1942
Entered Service At: Michigan
Born: April 9, 1900 – Traverse City, Michigan
Departed: Killed in Action – November 8, 1942
Accredited To: Michigan
General Orders No.: 11, War Department, March 4, 1943
Summary of Action
As Operation Torch — the Allied invasion of North Africa — began on November 8, 1942, Colonel Demas T. Craw faced a mission unlike any other. Rather than leading an attack, he volunteered to carry a message of peace. Fluent in French and experienced in diplomacy, Craw offered to cross the beaches near Port Lyautey and negotiate a cease-fire with Vichy French forces before more blood was shed.
His request was initially denied as suicidal, but Craw persisted, insisting he could reach the French commander and end the fighting. Boarding one of the first assault boats, he landed under heavy fire, his craft strafed by enemy aircraft and shelled by shore batteries. Craw, an accompanying officer, and a soldier finally made it ashore at Mehdia Plage, commandeering a small vehicle to push toward French headquarters.
The group advanced through chaos — fire from both enemy and friendly guns ripping across the roads. Nearing Port Lyautey, their vehicle came under sudden machine-gun fire from a concealed position. Colonel Craw was struck and killed instantly, his mission unfinished.
Though his life was cut short, Colonel Craw’s valor — facing certain death in an attempt to prevent greater loss — embodied the highest ideals of courage, duty, and humanity in war. He was the first U.S. Army Air Corps officer to receive the Medal of Honor in World War II.
Medal of Honor Citation
Place and date: Near Port Lyautey, French Morocco, 8 November 1942.
Entered service at: Michigan.
Born: 9 April 1900, Traverse City, Mich.
G.O. No.: 11, 4 March 1943.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty. On 8 November 1942, near Port Lyautey, French Morocco, Col. Craw volunteered to accompany the leading wave of assault boats to the shore and pass through the enemy lines to locate the French commander with a view to suspending hostilities. This request was first refused as being too dangerous but upon the officer’s insistence that he was qualified to undertake and accomplish the mission he was allowed to go. Encountering heavy fire while in the landing boat and unable to dock in the river because of shell fire from shore batteries, Col. Craw, accompanied by one officer and one soldier, succeeded in landing on the beach at Mehdia Plage under constant low-level strafing from three enemy planes. Riding in a bantam truck toward French headquarters, progress of the party was hindered by fire from our own naval guns. Nearing Port Lyautey, Col. Craw was instantly killed by a sustained burst of machine-gun fire at pointblank range from a concealed position near the road.
