James Lewis Crouch

U.S. Air Force Brigadier General James L. Crouch, 82, husband, father, Texan, scholar, and public servant, passed away unexpectedly December 20, 2016 in San Antonio, Texas. Born in Hillsboro, Texas in 1935, Jim was a proud graduate of Keller High School in 1952 (class of 12 students), the University of North Texas (UNT) in 1955, and The Ohio State University in 1967.

At UNT, Jim studied history and participated in ROTC. He was commissioned in the USAF as a 2nd Lieutenant at the age of 19 years and 11 months. He served his county and the USAF with distinction and honor for just short of 32 years. Upon retirement from the USAF, Jim returned to his home state of Texas where he was the executive director of the Texas PTA and later, the executive director of the Texas Public Utility Commission.

Jim was married for 58 years to his beloved wife, Barbara and has two children, Jim and wife Becky and Julie and husband Vance, and three grandchildren, Christa, Judson, and Jordan, and one great grandchild, Kylin. Jim was the son of Lois and James Jarvies of Keller, Texas and little brother of Dr. Thomas Crouch and wife, Darlene, of Longmont, Colorado.

Among his many accomplishments, Jim was especially proud to be a fifth generation Texan and a Son of the Republic of Texas. His great-great grandfather served in the Texian Army in 1836 and subsequently participated in the Mier Expedition. Jim always said to be born an American is a great blessing; to be born a Texan is like icing on the cake.

Services will be held January 13, 2017, 10:30, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio. A reception will follow at Blue Skies Texas at 11:30.

Following is an overview of General Crouch’s military career:

After college graduation, Brig. Gen. Crouch was commissioned as an Air Transportation Officer and assigned to Stallings Air Base, North Carolina. From March 1956 to March 1958, he was assigned to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska (before Alaskan statehood). Upon returning to the continental United States, Brig. Gen. Crouch served with the Military Airlift Command at Dover AFB, Delaware until August 1959.

He then cross-trained into avionics maintenance and next served as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer in the 507th Fighter Wing, Kincheloe AFB, Michigan, from June 1960 until May 1963. At that time, Brig. Gen. Crouch transferred to missile operations and served four years as a Missile Operations Officer, holding positions as missile combat crew commander, instructor and wing senior instructor in the 44th Strategic Missile Wing, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota.

From October 1967 to October 1968, he was assigned to the 355th Tactical Fighter Wind, Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand as the assistant maintenance supervisor in the 640-man 355th Avionics Maintenance Squadron. While in Thailand, Brig. Gen. Crouch was extensively involved in several modification programs which significantly improved the bombing accuracy of the F-105 aircraft.

Upon completion of his Southeast Asia tour of duty, Brig. Gen. Crouch returned to Ellsworth AFB as an operations plans officer and then as officer-in-charge, Field Maintenance Branch, 44th Missile Maintenance Squadron. Following Air Command and Staff College graduation in July 1971, he was assigned to Strategic Air Command (SAC) Headquarters, Offutt AFB, Nebraska, in the directorate of missile maintenance, deputy chief of staff, logistics.

In April 1975, Brig. Gen. Crouch moved to Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, where he served initially as commander of the 321st Missile Maintenance Squadron. Following a reorganization which divided his unit into two, he became commander of the 321st Organizational Missile Maintenance Squadron. From November 1975 to July 1977, he was assigned as assistant deputy commander for maintenance of the 321st Strategic Missile Wing. He then became the wing’s deputy commander for maintenance. Brig. Gen. Crouch was subsequently assigned to the 341st Strategic Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Montana, in July 1978 and became that unit’s vice commander in August 1978. Brig. Gen. Crouch then assumed command of the 341st in May 1979.

In June 1981, Brig. Gen. Crouch returned to SAC Headquarters where he served initially as director of intercontinental ballistic missile requirements and special assistant for MX affairs, deputy chief of staff, plans. Upon his promotion to brigadier general in June 1982, he was designated deputy chief of staff for data systems, SAC Headquarters. In June 1984, he was assigned to the joint U.S. Readiness Command, MacDill AFB, Florida where he filled the director of information systems (J6) position. In October 1986, Brig. Gen. Crouch retired from active duty with 31 years, four months of proud service.

The general wears the master missile badge and the non-rated aircrew wings. His military decorations and awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, AF Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, AF Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Combat Readiness Medal. An article he authored on the early history of the U.S. Air Force was published in the Aerospace Historian.

Arrangements under the direction of NEPTUNE SOCIETY - San Antonio, San Antonio, TX.