Colonel Crew Honored

Public Dedication Ceremony Saturday At Airport For Local War Hero
By Beth Milligan | Aug. 26, 2017
A public dedication ceremony and unveiling of a bronze plaque honoring a Traverse City war hero will take place at Cherry Capital Airport Saturday (August 26) at 1:30pm.

The ceremony and plaque will honor Colonel Demas T. "Nick" Craw, born in 1900 in Long Lake Township. Craw attended Traverse City Central High School before enlisting for World War I in 1918. Upon completing his service in World War I, Craw applied and was accepted to West Point as a cadet, where he graduated and went on to serve in World War II as a decorated colonel. In November 1942, Craw volunteered to go on a dangerous mission behind enemy lines to deliver a message to a French commander in French Morocco in order to broker a ceasefire and the surrender of French forces. Craw was killed by machine-gun fire while in hostile territory. His partner, however, was able to complete their mission and eventually arranged the surrender of French forces.

In addition to numerous commendations for his career of service - including WWI and WWII Victory Medals and the Purple Heart - Craw was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1943 for his actions in French Morocco.

Thanks to the efforts of Grand Traverse County Commissioner Dan Lathrop and local veteran Ret. Lt. Col. Terry Hawn, the Traverse City Veterans Affairs Clinic will be renamed the Demas T. Craw VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic this year. The clinic provides healthcare services for thousands of Northern Michigan veterans every year. A bronze plaque honoring Craw set to be unveiled at Saturday's ceremony will also be displayed in the Cherry Capital Airport terminal.

Nicholas W. Craw, the son of Colonel Demas T. Craw, will be an honored guest and speaker at the ceremony, arriving by jet prior to the public dedication. Upon arrival, the jet will be greeted with a fire station salute of arched water presented by the Traverse City Fire Department. County Commissioner Bob Johnson wil be the master of ceremonies for the event, which will feature an invocation by Lathrop, music by David Lake, and the national anthem by Jenna Elsenheimer. Other featured speakers include Major General Brian Bishop, Lieutenant General Congressman Jack Bergman, and Dr. Ginny Creasman of The Demas T. Craw Community Based Outpatient Clinic.

Colonel Demas T. Craw Medal of Honor Recipient Honored At TVC

By Vernocia Meadows 9&10 News
A Northern Michigan medal of honor recipient is now honored in Traverse City.
A special ceremony at Cherry Capital Airport unveiled a new plaque for Colonel Demas T. Craw.
He was born in Long Lake Township and served in both world wars.
He was killed while fighting in Morocco in 1942.
"Colonel Craw through his actions greatly contributed to the proud heritage the tradition of honor and legacy and valor you see in every airman today."
For years the story of Colonel Demus T. Craw and the service he gave for our country went largely unknown in Traverse City. But now generations will know what he did.
"Colonel Craw was instantly killed by a sustained burst of machine gun fire at point blank range from a concealed position near the road."
Craw's son Nicholas flew in from Colorado for the ceremony, escorted by those who served our country. And receiving a standing ovation along the way.
"Humbling and energizing experience to realize how many people still care about things happening 75 years ago and they wanted to honor his memory in a very rewarding way," said Nicholas Craw.
But among the dozens gathered, one family stands out.
"I managed to chase them down about twelve years ago," he said.
Orris Corey was driving the jeep Colonel Craw rode in when he was killed.
"I saw his name in a book and for the first time I realized I knew the name of the driver of the jeep fortunately when I went to do some research he still lived in Evart, Michigan," Nicholas said.
"Nick had gotten in touch with my husband saying that my husband was the last one who ever saw his father alive," said Phyllis Corey.
Orris has since died. His family attended in his place.
"One of the humblest men ever I didn't even know he had the silver star until we had been married a couple years and he was just a very good person," she said.
Even though Demus wasn't here to see the ceremony, his legacy will live on as countless people will pass this plaque that shares his story.
"When he graduated from West Point the motto was duty, honor, country, and I think those are all words we can live by," Nicholas said.
A new VA Outpatient Clinic which will be named after Craw is in the works.
It could be open as early as 2018.

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Thank you for your service to our country. Your sacrifice and training is appreciated in Northern Michigan!