Cranford, Eric Allen, LCDR

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. "