Richard S. Crowell enlisted on 1 November 1941 as an Aviation Cadet and completed formal flying schools 20 May 1942. He was commissioned on 21 May 1942 and served with the 301st Bomb Group as Co-pilot and Pilot. He started flying combat missions on 5 Sep 1942 and his first mission was to Rouen, France. His fifth mission was flown to Bizerte, Tunisia and it was on this flight that he earned a single event Distinguished Flying Cross. He continued to fly combat missions over enemy territory in 1943 and returned to the United States later on. He separated on 17 Jan 1946 and entered Reserve forces on 18 Jan 1946, serving until 1 Dec 1967. He retired as a lieutenant colonel.



He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Eastern-African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars, World War II Victory Medal and Presidential Unit Citation (Distinguished Unit Citation for Tunisia, 6 Apr 1943, 301st BG) for his service in World War II. He was issued the Honorable Service Lapel Button upon his discharge in 1946.