Remembering Captain John 'Wild Bill' Crump and "Jeep," the only coyote who flew in combat during WWII.
After graduating from high school, Bill joined the USAAF and prepared to fight for his country. One day, during his pilot training, he found a little coyote, which he named 'Jeep', and the pair became inseparable.
When war broke out, Bill couldn't wait to go overseas and confront the forces of tyranny…but not without his four-legged friend, so he smuggled Jeep aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth and they both went to England.
The coyote became a formal member of the 356th Fighter Group, had his own dog tags, and accompanied Bill on five combat missions. Sadly, on October 28, 1944, Jeep was run over by a military vehicle at Playford Hall, Ipswich, and died of his injuries. He was buried with full military honors at Playford Hall, where a plaque marks his resting place.
To honor the memory of his faithful friend, Bill decorated his P-51 Mustang (named Jackie) with a portrait of Jeep. He then flew 77 missions, risked his life to liberate Europe, and managed to survive the rest of the war. Lest we forget...
-"Veterans' Foundation," Oct 3 at 3:00 AM
