Philip J. Crossman

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 19, 2011

GLASGOW — Retired Air Force Col. Philip James Crossman of Glasgow died Jan. 18, 2011, at T.J. Samson Community Hospital.

Col. Crossman served his country for 31 years as an officer and pilot in the Air Force. He saw action in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. In World War II, he was the youngest pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps, flying B-24 Liberators over Europe. In 1944 while on a mission to bomb the oil refineries at Odertal, Germany, Col. Crossman’s plane was shot down and he became a prisoner of the Third Reich at Stalag 1. In Vietnam, Col. Crossman was the deputy comptroller for MAC-V Headquarters. His peacetime duties included assignments in the Research and Development Command, Office of Aerospace Research and the Air Force Logistics Command. Among the numerous citations and medals he was awarded, Col. Crossman received the Legion of Merit Medal, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War Medal, Meritorious Service Medals, Commendation Medals and nine campaign medals. He was also a graduate of the Air War College. In retirement Phil loved to bowl, play golf and play tennis. He was a ruthless bridge player. He took up oil painting and would spend hours at his easel. He was a charter member of the St. Andrews Golf Club of Punta Gorda, Fla. He was also a member of the Punta Gorda Isles Yacht Club, where he greatly enjoyed boating and fishing with his friends in the Gulf of Mexico. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Punta Gorda. He was a son of the late Theresa and Darwin Crossman. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Ireta Glenna; and two brothers, William and Paul Crossman. His wife, Leola Froedge Crossman, is the sister of Emogene Riherd and Anita Scott of Glasgow, Ferrell Froedge of Bowling Green, Jerry Froedge of Hickory, N.C., Joyce Nunn of Brentwood, Tenn., and deceased brothers, Earl, Murrell, Elwood and Maxwell Froedge.

Funeral is at 1 p.m. Saturday at A.F. Crow & Son Funeral Home, with burial with full military honors in Glasgow Municipal Cemetery. Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and begins at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to First United Methodist Church of Glasgow or to the American Heart Association.

The family would like to express gratitude to Col. Crossman’s longtime caregiver, Mrs. Sharon Holley.

Survivors include his loving wife of 50 years, Leola Froedge Crossman; children, Vickie J. Reed of Southport, N.C., David M. Crossman of York, Pa., Steven A. Crossman of Spring Valley, Ohio, and Joel E. Crossman of Punta Gorda; eight grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.