Ray Crawford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ray Crawford

Born	(1915-10-26)26 October 1915 Roswell, New Mexico
Died	1 February 1996(1996-02-01) (aged 80) Los Angeles, California
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	American
Active years	1955–1959
Teams	Elder, Kurtis Kraft
Entries	5 (3 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1955 Indianapolis 500
Last entry	1959 Indianapolis 500

Ray Crawford (October 26, 1915 – February 1, 1996) was an American hero who was many things: a brave fighter pilot, a skilled test pilot, a fast race car driver, and a smart businessman.

Ray Crawford's Early Life and Military Career

Ray Crawford was one of the first pilots to fly the P-80 Shooting Star jet plane.

Ray Crawford was born in Roswell, New Mexico. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and became a fighter pilot. In 1943, he flew a P-38 Lightning plane in battles over North Africa. He was one of the best pilots in his squadron, the 97th Fighter Squadron. He shot down six enemy planes and probably destroyed one more!

After his combat missions, he returned home and became one of the first pilots to fly jet planes. Near the end of World War II, Crawford was testing the P-80 Shooting Star jet in California. He was supposed to fly the very plane that another famous pilot, Richard Bong, later died in.

For his bravery, Ray Crawford received important awards like the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. He left active duty as a Captain in 1946 but stayed in the Air Force Reserves until 1953.

Ray Crawford: The "Flying Grocer" Race Car Driver

A P-38 Lightning plane, similar to the one Ray Crawford flew.

Ray Crawford got into racing thanks to his old high school friend, Sam Hanks. He raced many types of vehicles, including powerful boats and cars. He competed in major car racing series like AAA and USAC.

He raced in the famous Indianapolis 500 race in 1955, 1956, and 1959. In 1954, he won a special stock-car race called the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico, driving a Lincoln car. He also did well in the "Race of Two Worlds" events in Italy in 1957 and 1958.

In 1955, Crawford drove a Lincoln-Kurtis sports car in the 12 Hours of Sebring race. This race is very long, but he finished it all by himself, without another driver taking over! He is the only driver ever to do this.

Ray's family owned a successful chain of supermarkets. This led to his cool nickname: "The Flying Grocer." He was one of the first drivers after World War II to own and race his own cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He paid for his own racing, except for one time in 1956. That year, he raced for Chevrolet's first Corvette team at the 12 Hours of Sebring. He also drove an experimental Corvette car called the SR-2.

Sadly, Ray Crawford's racing career was cut short. He was seriously injured in a crash during the 1959 Indianapolis 500 race.

Ray Crawford's Legacy

Ray Crawford was an inspiration to other racers. The famous speed legend Mickey Thompson said that Crawford was an early influence on him. Crawford even gave Thompson his first experience at the Indianapolis 500 by letting him be part of his pit crew.

Ray Crawford passed away in Los Angeles, California on February 1, 1996. He is buried in Riverside, California. A book about his life, called Ray Crawford - Speed Merchant, was written in 2015.

World War II Air Combat Victories

Ray Crawford was a highly skilled pilot during World War II. Here are some of his confirmed victories against enemy aircraft:

Awards and Decorations

Ray Crawford earned several important awards for his service in the military. These ribbons show the honors he received:

From top, and from left to right, these awards include:

• Row 1: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, with 14 oak leaf clusters (meaning he earned it many times),
• Row 2: Air Medal, continued, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal,
• Row 3: European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal