CRANE, Harold (Sgt)

CRANE, DEMAREE

Posted By: Don Blake
Date: 10/29/2006 at 08:31:33

CHEROKEE ARCHIVES
Sgt. Harold Crane killed in Battle Of The Bulge.

The community will pause to pay tribute to a fallen soldier on Thursday, when another of Cherokee's war dead is returned here for burial. He is Sgt. Harold (Bud) Crane, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Lew Crane of Spring Township was killed in action Nov. 17.1944, during the Battle Of The Bulge. His body arrived in Cherokee by train Wed. morning at 11:00 , where it was met by an honor guard from the American Legion and V.F.W. Posts and escorted to the Boothby Funeral Home.

Services will be conducted at 2:30 P.M. at St. Pauls Metodist Church with Rev. J.E. Feller officiating. Full military honors will be accorded the Cherokean at the gravesite by the Legion and V.F.W., closing with the firing squad salute and the sounding of Taps. Sgt Crane will be buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee,
Business establishments in Cherokee are being asked to close from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in memory of the fallen soldier, Both Commander, Cliff Lindlief of the Legion and Elmer Holloway of the V.F.W. ask that members of the repective groups attend the service.

Born May 23, 1921 in Spring Township, Sgt. Crane graduated from Brooke High School in 1933. He farmed with his father until he entered service on July 14, 1942 and trained at various camps in the U.S. until embarking for overseas in Aug. of 1944. He was 23 years of age when killed the following Nov.
He is survived by his parents, 1 brother, Dale Crane at home and 2 sisters Betty of Aurelia and Mrs.Garland (Vera) Demaree of Bremerton Wash. and Granmother Mrs. Gladys Crane of Cherokee.

Sgt. Crane's cousin, Sgt. Ernie was killed in N. Africa in 1943