MSG William J. Crawford VFW Post 7829
MSG William J. Crawford was born in Pueblo, Colorado and is one of four Medal of Honor recipients from that city. During World War II, after destroying two machine gun nests, MSG William J. Crawford was taken prisoner by the Germans. While in captivity, he survived a 52 day, 500-mile winter march and was reported missing in action and presumed dead by the U.S. Army. On May 11, 1944, MSG William J. Crawford’s father accepted the Medal of Honor for his son which was presented posthumously by two-star General Thomas Allen at Camp Carson, Colorado. "Your son was a hero," Major General Allen said. Two months later, the world learned that he had actually survived and was interred in a German prisoner of war camp.
Forty-one years later, President Ronald Reagan presented the Medal of Honor to a very much alive MSG William J. Crawford at the U.S. Air Force Academy on May 31, 1984.
Following the war, MSG William J. Crawford married Eileen Bruce on January 13, 1946. The couple moved to Palmer Lake, Colorado. He was active in Palmer Lake as director of the Lucretia Vaile Museum, president of the Palmer Lake Historical Society, Yule Log Light, election judge, superintendent of Sunday School at the Little Log Church, and a member of the Kiwanis Club and VFW Post #4051.
Located in Monument, Colorado. VFW Post 7829 is a component of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The Post is a non-profit corporation in good standing under Colorado law (ID Number 20091530354) and a federal tax exempt veterans organization under IRS Code Section 501(c)(19) (EIN 84-1102656). Any donations to VFW Post 7829 are tax deductible as permitted by law and a receipt will be provided. The Post offers many Programs and Activities for its members to fulfill the Post's Mission and Vision. Our Post is part of District 5.
District 5
Comprised of 8 VFW Posts along the front range of Colorado in the cities of Colorado Springs, Security, Calhan, Woodland Park, Fountain, Monument (Post 7829), and Elizabeth. District 5 is part of the Department of Colorado.
Department of Colorado
The State level organization of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Comprised of 13 Districts.
State Convention
Annual event with participation of the VFW Posts within the Department.
The VFW traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War
(1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local
organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service: Many
arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans'
pension for them,and they were left to care for themselves.
In their misery, some of these veterans banded together and formed
organizations with what would become known as the Veterans of Foreign
Wars of the United States. After chapters were formed in Ohio, Colorado
and Pennsylvania, the movement quickly gained momentum. By 1915,
membership grew to 5,000; by 1936, membership was almost 200,000.
Since then, the VFW's voice had been instrumental in establishing
the Veterans Administration, creating a GI bill for the 20th century,
the development of the national cemetery system and the fight for
compensation for Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange and for veterans
diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome. In 2008, VFW won a long-fought victory
with the passing of a GI Bill for the 21st Century, giving expanded
educational benefits to America's active-duty service members, and
members of the Guard and Reserves, fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The VFW also has fought for improving VA medical centers services for women veterans.
Besides helping fund the creation of the Vietnam, Korean War, World
War II and Women in Military Service memorials, the VFW in 2005 became
the first veterans' organization to contribute to building the new
Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial, which opened in November 2010.
Annually, the nearly 2 million members of the VFW and its
Auxiliaries contribute more than 8.6 million hours of volunteerism in
the community, including participation in Make A Difference Day and
National Volunteer Week.
From providing over $3 million in college scholarships and savings
bonds to students every year, to encouraging elevation of the Department
of Veterans Affairs to the president's cabinet, the VFW is there.
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