Posted by Ransom J. Amlong on April 23, 2003:

Bill Crites was already an outstanding young man when I met him during Beast Barracks in 1952. He was able to do things right the first time and stay under the First Class radar. We were company mates in M-2 where he continued to excel in all aspects of cadet life. Having had a couple of years of college before West Point, he had little trouble with academics. His military bearing seemed natural. He continued through Plebe year with ease, propelled, it seemed, by a great sense of humor and a relaxed attitude. Bill emerged as one of the undisputed leaders in M-2 and in our Class. He was very competitive in this regard. He wanted to be a leader. He was selected to lead our Battalion during First Class Year. He was a member of the Glee Club and participated in other Cadet activities. At Ft. Benning, Bill continued on the course he had set four years earlier, BIOC, Airborne and Ranger schools were not a problem. I didn't see Bill again until the late 60's when he visited us in Baltimore. By this time he had been injured by a mine in Vietnam. During the years after his injury, he spent many arduous times undergoing operations and therapy in the reconstruction of his foot. He wanted so badly to be one hundred percent. Sadly, Bill's injury curtailed his outstanding Infantry career. I always felt that to Bill, that was worst aspect of his wound. I saw Bill from time to time during the years that he spent in the DC area. He was always up beat about his job at Walter Reed and he always had other pursuits in the mill. When I returned from a year of sailing in 1985, Bill introduced me to a company in Annapolis Md. where we worked together for five years. Bill was the same guy I had met in 1952. He was professional and most of all, he was still a leader. I went sailing again and didn?t see Bill and Narris until a few years ago at one of the Pinehurst golf gatherings. By that time Narris had won a major medical battle and Bill was fighting hard but was obviously loosing ground to an incurable blood disorder. Early lastyear I spoke with Bill and Narris after they had made the decision that Bill would cease treatment (which by then was almost constant transfusions). Bill had made his decision and was ready to go. He was a good soldier, a good leader and a good friend.

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