General William Wright Crouch (12 July 1941 – 20 September 2024) was a United States Army four-star general who served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1997 to 1998.
Early life Crouch was born on 12 July 1941, in Los Angeles, California.General Officer announcement 331-91 June 24, 1997 He attended the San Diego Army and Navy Academy and graduated from Claremont Men's College with a degree in Civil Government. He also received a master's degree in history from Texas Christian University.
Military career Crouch commanded soldiers at every level from platoon through to army. He began his service in 1963 as a cavalry platoon leader in the 5th Infantry Division. He went on to command four companies, two of which were cavalry troops in combat. His subsequent commands included a cavalry squadron, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 5th Infantry Division. He also served as Commanding General of the Eighth United States Army and Chief of Staff United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command and United States Forces Korea.
Crouch assumed command of United States Army Europe on 19 December 1994, and assumed command of Allied Land Forces Central Europe (LANDCENT) on February 15, 1996, and was its first American since its establishment in 1993. He served as Vice Chief of staff from 1997 until his retirement in 1998.
Crouch was a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the United States Army War College. His decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster.
Post-military career
Crouch, along with retired Admiral Harold W. Gehman, Jr., were appointed by Defense Secretary William S. Cohen on 19 October 2000, as co-chairmen of the Department of Defense's Cole Commission to investigate the bombing of the .Cole Commission Focuses On Force Protection Measures He also served on the board of directors of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America,CADCA Board of Directors and beginning in May 2005 served on the board of Directors of FLIR Systems. He was also a Senior Mentor with the Leadership Development and Education Program for Sustained Peace at the United States Naval Postgraduate School, served on the board of the Keck Institute for International and Strategic Studies at Claremont McKenna College, and sat on the advisory board of Isilon Systems.
Personal life and death Crouch's wife, Vicki, also a native of Southern California, attended Scripps College, as did their two daughters, Cami and Cathi. They had two grandchildren, Chris and Elizabeth, and resided in Colorado. William W. Crouch died in Denver on 20 September 2024, at the age of 83.
Awards and decorations Defense Distinguished Service MedalArmy Distinguished Service MedalSilver StarLegion of MeritBronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf ClusterMeritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf ClustersAir MedalArmy Commendation MedalArmy Achievement MedalValorous Unit AwardNational Defense Service Medal with Service starVietnam Service Medal with two Service starsArmed Forces Service MedalArmy Service RibbonArmy Overseas Service RibbonNATO Medal for Former YugoslaviaOrder of National Security Merit (Korea) Gugseon MedalGallantry Cross (Vietnam) with bronze starVietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal 1st classVietnam Gallantry Cross Unit CitationVietnam Civil Actions Medal Unit CitationVietnam Campaign Medal
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