Allan J. Croshaw
Biography: Allan Josiah Croshaw was born on September 17, 1911, in Monore Township., Middlesex County, New Jersey. He was the son of Raymond Croshaw and Lillian Anderson Flock and attended school at Pleasant Grove in Monroe Twp. and in Hightstown, NJ. Allan worked as a truck driver for ten years prior to WWII.
Service Time: Allan entered the service on January 30, 1941, at Trenton, NJ. He was assigned to the 644th Tank Destroyer Battalion and spent time at a number of military installations including Fort Dix, NJ, Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, Fort Lewis, Washington, Camp Hood, Texas, Larne, Co. Fermanaugh in North Ireland, Hungerford Common, Bedfordshire, England, and Normandy.
On July 18, 1944, Allan received serious shrapnel wounds which required over a year in hospitals, including the 110th U.S. Army Hospital in Ullenwood, near Cheltonham, England, Stark General Hospital, Charleston, South Carolina, Oliver General Hospital, Augusta, Georgia and the Deshon General Hospital, Butler, Pennsylvania.
He received a Purple Heart, the American Defense Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Bronze Campaign Star, WWII Victory Medal. and the Good Conduct Medal
After Allan was discharged from the service, he made his residence in Monroe Twp., NJ, and worked as a Construction Quality Control Inspector for the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway. In his spare time he enjoyed all things outdoors but particularly, hunting, fishing and trapping. He was also a member of the VFW.
Allan passed away on December 11, 1982, and was laid to rest at the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hightstown, NJ.
I was to thank Allan’s nephew, Barry Tindall, who is an Air Force veteran (1957-1961), for his assistance with this tribute.
Note: Barry authored a book about his uncle titled “Letters from my Uncle” published in 2011. The book contains 162 pages with extensive information on both his uncle and the history of the 644th. Sadly, I have recently found out that Barry passed away in 2020, and the book is no longer available from the author.