| Service Photo |
Service Details |
|
|
|
|
|
| Last Photo |
Personal Details
|
|
|
Home State
North Carolina | |
|
Year of Birth
1968 |
| |
This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Elaine Aleshire, ATC
to remember
Cranford, Eric Allen, LCDR.
If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
|
| |
Casualty Info
|
Home Town
Drexel |
Last Address
Falls Church, VA
|
|
Casualty Date
Sep 11, 2001 |
|
Cause
Hostile, Died |
Reason
Intentional Homicide |
Location
Virginia |
Conflict
Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon |
Location of Interment
Arlington National Cemetery - Arlington, Virginia |
Wall/Plot Coordinates
Section 64 Site 4866 |
|
|
Last Known Activity
U.S. Navy Lt. CDR Eric Allen Cranford, had worked under the chief of naval operations in the Pentagon since April 1999 and was in the building when American Airlines Flight 77 struck it on that fateful date 9/11/2001.
After his flight training and the receiving of his wings, Eric opted to train as a helicopter pilot. During two tours in the Persian Gulf, he flew off the U.S.S. Gettysburg and the U.S.S. Carr. Throughout his training and assignments, he met and developed lasting friendships with men now serving our Nation both at home and throughout the world.
Eric’s last land tour was an assignment to the Pentagon. He enjoyed the challenge of his work in the Naval Command Post, during which he was selected as Lieutenant Commander. Pursuing learning still, in the evenings he completed half of the required hours toward his MBA through the University of Maryland.
Eric was a patriot. He was proud to be an American and he was proud to be a naval helicopter pilot helping to defend the American way of life. This was made powerfully clear by thoughts he wrote in his personal journal on D-Day Memorial Day. On June 6, 1994, he wrote:
"Imagine a cause where a nation would agree that the cause was worth risking everything. If everything were to be lost, then that would be justified because failure was less acceptable than death. "
|
| |
Comments/Citation
Not Specified
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
1992-1993, 139X, Naval Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API), NAS Pensacola, FL
|
| |
1993-1994, COMTRAWING 4
|
| |
1994-1995, 131X, COMTRAWING 5
|
 |
1995-1995, 131X, HSL-40 Air Wolves
|
 |
1995-1996, 131X, USS Gettysburg (CG-64)
|
| |
1995-1999, 131X, HSL-48 Vipers
|
| |
1997-1997, 131X, USS Mcinerney (FFG-8)
|
| |
1998-1999, 131X, USS Carr (FFG-52)
|
 |
1999-2001, Pentagon Navy Command Center (NCC), CNO - OPNAV
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
