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Traverse City Clinic Could Be Named For Medal Of Honor Recipient

An all-but-forgotten Northern Michigan Medal of Honor recipient is on his way to being honored again.

Senators Stabenow and Peters introduced legislation that would name the VA Outpatient Clinic after Army Colonel Demas T. Craw. He was born in Long Lake Township, served in both World Wars, and was killed in action back in 1942.

"They assigned me to work out at the local army reserve center. When I was recovering there wasn’t a lot for me to do," said Lt. Col. Terry Hawn, Retired, U.S. Army.

Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, and Purple Heart recipient Terry Hawn came back from Iraq in 2010 after he got hurt, spending his time at Traverse City’s Army Reserve Center.

"I discovered this place is named after a guy named Colonel Craw, and I asked who he was and nobody knew," Lt. Col. Terry Hawn said.

So he set out to solve a mystery. Just who was Colonel Demus T. Craw.

"Found some stuff in the basement on him and realized he was a Medal of Honor recipient and I was pretty much dumbfounded, I never realized there was a Medal of Honor recipient in this area," he said.

Craw served in both World Wars, winning victory medals in each, before getting killed in morocco in 1942 while trying to negotiate a cease fire.

"Colonel craw our local Medal of Honor winner, the only we’ve got in Grand Traverse County was literally forgotten so he and I teamed up to see if we could make the world remember our wonderful hero son of this area who gave his life for this country," said Daniel Lathrop.

After more than a year and a half, dozens of volunteers, thousands of signatures and letters U.S. senators introduced legislation to name the Veteran’s Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Traverse City after him.

"He’s a gentleman who really epitomizes the best of those who served their country so it’s certainly very fitting of him to have his name on this veterans center in Traverse City.

So the community will never again forget the legacy Craw left behind.

"He’s been forgotten and now he’s remembered again," said Daniel.

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