RICHARD CRITES FAMILY

The Family of Richard and Wyota Crites - Courtesy of Judith Dillard 2008 (click on image to enlarge) Refer to picture number: 08-22-08-B

Richard and Wyota Crites with their five kids
Mary Lee, Judy, Penny, Dicky and Kathy
Note: The order of these children in the photo is unknown

left to right
(back row) Wyota and Richard Crites

DILLARD CHILDREN WITH GRANDPARENTS

(click on image to enlarge)
Richard Crites, Tommy Dillard, Wyota Crites and Rea Dillard
Original photograph taken in 1982. This is a Xerox copy provided for the Crites Family blog by Judith Dillard 2008.

Thomas Leroy and Rea Dillard are the modern descendents of
John Crites
Josiah Crites and Mary Ann Secrist Crites
John Franklin and Leona Belle Weaver Crites
Richard Franklin and Wyota Crites
Thomas and Judith Dillard

RICHARD CRITES 1974

Richard Crites Sr. - Xerox copy photograph shared with the Crites Family Pictures Blog by Judith Dillard 2008. (click on image to enlarge)

Dick Crites was born on a homestead near Hinsdale, Montana in 1916, just prior to the First World War. He was very much a man of the American West, living the last years of his life in Texas.
Richard Crites and his wife Wyotta were married in 1937 in Minot, North Dakota. They had six children, five of whom are still living.


Please note that some maiden names are excluded from this blog for identity security.

RICHARD CRITES 1943

Xerox copy of Richard Crites Sr. - shared with this Crites Family blog by Judith Dillard 2008. (click on image to enlarge)

Richard Crites was called Dick by his parents and siblings. He was the 8th child of Leona and John Franklin Crites, and as such his older brothers and sisters knew him chiefly through family letters and occasional visits when he reached adulthood. This photograph was taken on March 29th, 1943. His younger brother Kenneth Crites also served in the Second World War. An older brother John died from a machine gun accident while on duty at a North Dakota National Guard Camp at Devil's Lake.

BOB RICHARDS AND RICHARD CRITES

Robert Richards and Richard F. Crites (click on photo to enlarge)
This is a xerox copy of a snapshot taken in Everett, Washington. It is shared with this Crites Family Photo blog by Judith Dillard 2008.
Robert Kenneth Richards Junior to the left is the great-grandson of Josiah and Mary Ann Secrist Crites. He continues to live near Everett, Washington in 2008.
Richard Franklin Crites Senior was born on the 28th of July, 1916 in Hinsdale Valley, Montana.. Dick was the son of Leona Belle (Weaver) and John Franklin Crites. He had a lifelong military career.

RICHARD CRITES BRONZE STAR IN KOREA

MINOTER GETS BRONZE STAR FOR RESCUE IN KOREA
Master Sergeant Richard F. Crites of Minot, (North Dakota), now stationed at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, has been awarded the bronze star medal with letter “V” attachment for “heroic achievement in connection with military operations against an enemy of the United States.”
The incident occurred on September 5, 1950, in the vicinity of Changnyong, Korea, where Crites, then sergeant first class, was serving with Company H., 23rd infantry regiment, Second Infantry Division.
He was a member of a machine gun section attached to a rifle company during an attack on an enemy-held hill. After the hill was taken, the section sergeant was wounded by enemy machine gun fire and was pinned down in an exposed position. Sergeant Crites twice attempted to rescue him, but each time was driven back by intense enemy fire. On his third attempt, he succeeded in reaching the wounded soldier and under heavy hostile fire, brought him to safety.