Per National Archives records, Roy E. Crum was awarded the Bronze Star, posthumously, for meritorious service in combat during the period 15-18 April 1945, near Bargo, Italy. He was a Technician Fourth Grade, Infantry, 86th Mountain Infantry, U. S. Army.
TEC4 Roy Edgar Crum (37343462) was born on June 3, 1914 in Smith Center, Smith, Kansas. His father, William Crum, was born and raised in Illinois and moved with his parents to Nebraska as a young man. His mother, Minnie Bell Cooper, was born and raised in Kansas. His father was a farmer in Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. Roy was the fifth of his parent’s six children. He had three older sisters, an older brother, and a younger brother.
Roy was about eighteen years old when his family moved from Kansas to Kit Carson County in eastern Colorado. He attended schools in Seibert, Kit Carson, Colorado until 1930, when he left before completing high school. Roy and his younger brother worked on the family farm in Kit Carson County as their father’s health was declining. Roy was living on the farm in Vona, Kit Carson, Colorado on October 16, 1940 when he was registered with the Selective Service and received his draft card. A year later, Roy received his induction notice and he enlisted in the Army on October 20, 1941 at Fort Logan in Denver, Colorado.
After finishing his basic training shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the new enlistments exceeded the capacity of the armed forces to handle them. Roy started training for a mountain battalion at Fort Lewis in Washington. In November 1942, Roy was assigned to the 1st Battalion of the 86th Infantry Regiment at Camp Hale in Colorado. By the end of 1943, Roy was assigned to the Headquarters (HQ) Company of the 86th Mountain Infantry Regiment (MIR) in the 10th Light Division (later, the 10th Mountain Division). In June 1944, the Division moved to Camp Swift for flat land training. In December, 1944 the now called 10th Mountain Division (MD) moved to Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia where on December 11, they boarded the SS Argentina and arrived in Naples, Italy on December 22.
On January 9, 1945 the 86th MIR entered the front lines north of Bagni di Lucca, relieving Task Force 45 in the Mt. Belvedere area. In mid-February, the 10th MD participated in Operation Encore, a series of attacks to dislodge the Germans from their artillery positions in the Northern Apennines. In early March, the Division fought its way north of Canolle and moved to within 15 miles of Bologna, Italy. On March 5, The Division cut the routes of resupply and communication into the Po Valley, setting the stage for the next Fifth Army offensive.
The Spring Offensive began on April 13, 1945 with an extensive preparatory bombardment by artillery and aircraft. The 86th MIR attacked the hills near Rocco di Roffenol. The Germans were prepared for the attack and despite the bombing, the fighting was fierce and bloody. By April 16, the high ground had been taken, but it ended up the costliest offensive for the 10th Mountain Division in Italy. The Division suffered 286 killed and 1,047 wounded from April 13 – 16, 1945. One of those killed in action was TEC4 Roy Edgar Crum.
The body of TEC4 Roy Edgar Crum was initially buried in Italy. In 1948 his remains were laid to rest at the Flagler Cemetery in Flagler, Kit Carson, Colorado. He was survived by his mother and four siblings. His brother, Pvt. Harold Ray Crum, also served in the Army and was killed in action in Italy on December 10, 1943. The two brothers are buried next to each other and share a common tombstone.
TEC4 Crum's Bronze Star citation reads as follows: ROY E. CRUM, 38009770, Technician Fourth Grade, Infantry, 86th Mountain Infantry, United States Army. For meritorious service in combat during the period 15-18 April 1945, near Bargo, Italy. Entered military service from Vona, Colorado. Next of kin: Mrs. Minnie Bell, mother, Route 2, Vona, Colorado."