Military ExperienceJohn was a First Class Private of the 311th Troop Carrier Squadron non-combat unit. He was a short 5'8 man and only weighed 167 pounds. Camp Shelby was where John trained from April 23 until the beginning of May. In all he has been stationed in Pope Field,MO, Greensboro,NC, and Miami,FL.
On November 1, 1943, men from different military bases around the nation joined what would be labeled as the 349th Troop Carrier Group. The group was separated into the 4th HQ Squadron, 23rd Squadron, 311th, 312th, 313th, and the 315th Squadron.This unit trained before heading to Europe in March of 1945 for paratroop drops, glider towering, and flying training. However, the group arrived too late in the war to participate in be apart of a major set piece airborne assault. Instead, the group transferred wounded soldiers and POW back and forth to the states. Also, the group ferrying vehicles and transporting fuels. Being that Crouch was a member of this group, he and the squadron survived in Europe in order to make it back to the United States July-August 1945. By the time John returned to the states, his wife Minnie Wise, had divorced him. |
Training and Stations In World War II, Camp Shelby, located in Forrest, Mississippi, was the second largest military installment in the nation that produced over 750,000 soldiers . From those soldiers, nine infantry divisions, tank destroyers, and engineers were trained there throughout the entire war. When Crouch arrived in 1940, Camp Shelby had just been appointed as the administrative prisoner of war camp for the German prisoners .
After Camp Shelby, was sent to Miami, FL from May 1943- December 1943 as a Private in the 414th TG. According to dental records, while in Miami, John seemed to continue having trouble with his teeth. He had a total of 3 dental visits over the 7 months that he was in Florida for abscesses and carries inside of his mouth. After leaving Miami, John was stationed in Greensboro, North Carolina from December 2 19,1943 to December 24, 1943. Next John was stationed in Sedalia, Missouri at the Sedalia Army Airfield, which was a troop carrier command station. Finally, John was stationed at the Pope Field Air Force base in April 1944 in Pope Field 1944. |