During the Allied invasion of North Africa in WWII, COL Demas Craw and MAJ Pierpont Hamilton volunteered for an almost suicidal mission to reach French commanders near Port Lyautey to negotiate a ceasefire. Their landing craft was hammered by shore batteries and strafed by enemy planes before they landed under fire. As they drove toward French lines in a small truck, a burst of machine-gun fire killed COL Craw instantly. MAJ Hamilton was captured, but he completed the mission. Both men were awarded the Medal of Honor for their unmatched courage in the face of certain danger.

COL Craw's Medal of Honor Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty. On 8 November 1942, near Port Lyautey, French Morocco, Col. Craw volunteered to accompany the leading wave of assault boats to the shore and pass through the enemy lines to locate the French commander with a view of suspending hostilities. This request was first refused as being too dangerous, but upon the officer's insistence that he was qualified to undertake and accomplish the mission he was allowed to go. Encountering heavy fire while in the landing boat and unable to dock in the river because of shellfire from shore batteries, Col. Craw, accompanied by one officer and one soldier, succeeded in landing on the beach at Mehdia Plage under constant low-level strafing from three enemy planes. Riding in a bantam truck toward French headquarters, progress of the party was hindered by fire from our own naval guns. Nearing Port Lyautey, Col. Craw was instantly killed by a sustained burst of machine-gun fire at point- blank range from a concealed position near the road.

MG Hamilton's Medal of Honor Citation (Major at the time):
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty. On 8 November 1942, near Port Lyautey, French Morocco, Lt. Col. Hamilton volunteered to accompany Col. Demas Craw on a dangerous mission to the French commander, designed to bring about a cessation of hostilities. Driven away from the mouth of the Sebou River by heavy shelling from all sides, the landing boat was finally beached at Mehdia Plage despite continuous machine-gun fire from three low-flying hostile planes. Driven in a light truck toward French headquarters, this courageous mission encountered intermittent firing, and as it neared Port Lyautey a heavy burst of machine-gun fire was delivered upon the truck from point-blank range, killing Col. Craw instantly. Although captured immediately after this incident, Lt. Col. Hamilton completed the mission.

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