William J . Crawford William John " Bill " Crawford ( May 19 , 1918 – March 15 , 2000 ) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II . He was also a career U . S . Army enlisted soldier and later a janitor at the United States Air Force Academy . Biography . Crawford was born on May 19 , 1918 , in Pueblo , Colorado , and later joined the U . S . Army from that city in July 1942 . By September 13 , 1943 , he was serving as a private with the 142nd Infantry Regiment 36th Infantry Division in southern Italy . On that day , he was acting as a squad scout when his company attacked Hill 424 near Altavilla Silentina . During the battle , Crawford twice moved forward through continuous fire and , using hand grenade s and his rifle , destroyed machine gun nests which were holding back his platoon ' s advance . After the battle , Crawford was captured by the Germans and presumed dead . So in 1944 the Medal of Honor was presented posthumously to his father . Later in the year , Crawford was among a group of soldiers rescued from German captivity . On January 13 , 1946 , he married Eileen Bruce . He re - enlisted in the Army in 1947 , retired in 1967 with the rank of master sergeant . He later worked as a janitor at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and as director of the Lucretia Vaille Museum in Palmer Lake . While working at the Air Force Academy , he mentioned to friends that he had never received the Medal from the president . In 1984 , during that year ' s graduation ceremony , President Ronald Reagan formally presented him with the Medal . Crawford died at age 81 on March 15 , 2000 , in his residence at Palmer Lake . Upon his death Governor Bill Owens authorized all Colorado flags to be lowered to half staff in his honor . He is buried at the United States Air Force Academy Cemetery in Colorado Springs . He is the only non - USAF US Army enlisted person buried there . He is one of four Medal of Honor recipients from Pueblo , Colorado , the others being Drew Dennis Dix , Raymond G . Murphy , and Carl L . Sitter . A bronze statue of Crawford resides at Hero Plaza at the Pueblo Convention Center with the other three Pueblo Medal of Honor statues . Medal of Honor citation . Crawford ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Altavilla , Italy , 13 September 1943 . When Company I attacked an enemy - held position on Hill 424 , the 3d Platoon , in which Pvt . Crawford was a squad scout , attacked as base platoon for the company . After reaching the crest of the hill , the platoon was pinned down by intense enemy machinegun and small - arms fire . Locating 1 of these guns , which was dug in on a terrace on his immediate front , Pvt . Crawford , without orders and on his own initiative , moved over the hill under enemy fire to a point within a few yards of the gun emplacement and single - handedly destroyed the machinegun and killed 3 of the crew with a hand grenade , thus enabling his platoon to continue its advance . When the platoon , after reaching the crest , was once more delayed by enemy fire , Pvt . Crawford again , in the face of intense fire , advanced directly to the front midway between 2 hostile machinegun nests located on a higher terrace and emplaced in a small ravine . Moving first to the left , with a hand grenade he destroyed 1 gun emplacement and killed the crew ; he then worked his way , under continuous fire , to the other and with 1 grenade and the use of his rifle , killed 1 enemy and forced the remainder to flee . Seizing the enemy machinegun , he fired on the withdrawing Germans and facilitated his company ' s advance . Leadership . After retiring from the military , Crawford procured a job working as a janitor at the U . S . Air Force Academy . He was not recognized , by any of the cadets and staff until 1976 . " Mr . Crawford " was described as " an unimpressive figure , one you could easily overlook during a hectic day at the U . S . Air Force Academy . " Crawford being shy and unassuming did his work well and " blended into the woodwork and became just another fixture around the squadron . " Cadet James Moschgat " was reading a book about World War II and the tough Allied ground campaign in Italy , " when he read an incredible story of a private William Crawford who was presumed killed in action and whose father received the Medal of Honor for his son . Unknown to the Army and his family , Crawford had been captured by German soldiers and held as a prisoner of war for nineteen months until the war ended . In that book was a picture who resembled his squadron janitor . Moschgat shared this with the other cadets and confirmed the story with Mr . Crawford who replied similar to " Yep , that ' s me . " When asked why he did not talk about it , Crawford said , " That was one day in my life and it happened a long time ago . " The word spread with new formed respect for Mr . Crawford . In time , Crawford told his story and things he had learned in life to each academy class . His example also taught them many lessons . These some times subtle lessons became of great importance to many of the cadets . Here was a man presumed dead , whose father had received the Medal of Honor for his son from an Army general , then who returned with honor and continued to serve his country and later served them . After Crawford rejoined the military and throughout his career he reluctantly wore his medal . Crawford never had a single ceremony or recognition regarding his Medal of Honor award . The cadets at the USAF Academy decided to change this . In 1984 , Mr . Crawford was a guest for the graduating class . Many past graduates , generals and VIPs attended this graduation . President Ronald Reagan arrived and presented the Medal of Honor to Crawford and formally recognized Crawford ' s action . In his remarks , President Reagan cited a few leadership lessons they learned from their janitor . Later these lessons were formalized by the former cadet James E . Moschgat . Bill Crawford , our janitor , taught me many valuable , unforgettable leadership lessons . Here are ten I ' d like to share with you . < br > Bill Crawford was a janitor . However , he was also a teacher , friend , role model and one great American hero . Thanks , Mr . Crawford , for some valuable leadership lessons .