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Airman First Class Phyllis B. Arnold Crowley

Head and shoulders photograph of Phyllis Arnold Crowley in military uniform.
  • Unit: Headquarters 7439 Inspector General Special Investigations
  • Hometown: Springfield, Massachusetts
  • Place of Death: Laconia, New Hampshire
  • Award(s): National Defense Service Medal, Occupational Medal (Germany), Good Conduct Award
  • Cemetery: Section H4L, Row D, Site 2. New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, Boscawen, New Hampshire
Contributed by Tabitha Arp, Alina Chausovsky, Gabriel Landies
Mentored by Mrs. Sierra Dolce
Bedford High School (Bedford, New Hampshire)
2024/2025

Early Life

Phyllis B. Arnold was born March 9, 1932, in Springfield, Massachusetts. Her father, Donald, worked as a truck driver, and her mother, Calma, took care of the children and managed the household. Phyllis grew up with two brothers, Robert and Donald, and two sisters, Betty and Dorothy. She had a great love for sports, especially basketball, which began at a young age. 

Phyllis Arnold graduated from Technical High School in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1950, and then she sought out a well-paying job. Following high school, she was first employed by Dow Oil and then by Springfield Gaslight Company, before being hired as a clerk for Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company in her hometown for a short period. There, she utilized her stenography and typing skills to prepare documents that she later filed. 

An excerpt from the 1940 census showing the Arnold family in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Phyllis Arnold was born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, with two brothers and two sisters, as noted in the 1940 census. National Archives and Records Administration.
Black and white photograph of a three story brick school.
Phyllis Arnold graduated from Springfield Technical High School (pictured above) in 1950, three years after her husband, Richard. Springfield Technical High School Yearbook, Ancestry.

Homefront

Springfield, Massachusetts, like most communities nationwide, came together to support the war effort during World War II and the Korean War. Citizens of the area planted victory gardens, rationed their food, and bought war bonds.  

Beyond individual citizen support for the war, many Springfield-area manufacturers were active producers of armaments and other resources in heavy demand during the war. For instance, the Springfield Armory manufactured weaponry used in the war, including the most iconic firearm of the era, the U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1, better known as the M1 Garand. At peak production during the 1950s, the Springfield Armory could produce one gunstock per man per minute. 

In addition to manufacturing, Springfield Hospital and Mercy Hospital provided intensive training in their Cadet Nurse programs, which prepared young women to become nurses in the armed services. 

During the 1940s and 1950s, Springfield’s African American population increased as more diverse populations moved to the community for employment in the booming wartime economy. This caused a rise in racial tensions similar to that seen throughout the country.

Newspaper article with headline, "19 Cadets Get Nurse Caps at Hospital Here," and a photo showing four women with two getting their caps.
Springfield, Massachusetts, contributed significantly to the war effort, extending beyond manufacturing. The community bolstered military medical care through its nurse cadet program, June 24, 1944. The Republican.
A black and white photograph of a factory with a man placing a gun in a box.
Workers in the Springfield Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts, packing M-1 rifles for shipment during World War II, 1940. Springfield Armory National Historic Site, National Park Service.

Military Experience

Phyllis B. Arnold enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at Springfield, Massachusetts, on January 2, 1951. She completed training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas from January 4 to March 19, 1951. Following her training, she received further training in New York and at a school in Oklahoma to become a stenographer before being sent overseas. On June 1, 1953, Arnold deployed to Germany, where she remained stationed until August 27, 1954. 

While in the military, Arnold’s most significant assignment was Headquarters, 7439th Inspector General Special Investigations. As a stenographer, her daily work likely entailed attending investigative meetings where she took dictation and typed, formatted, and edited memos and other reports. During her time in the service, Arnold obtained security clearance, which was likely necessary for her to be present during investigations and to process investigative reports.

Arnold was not only loyal to her country but also to her family, as she sent part of her pay home to help support her parents. On October 20, 1954, Arnold was honorably discharged from the military at Fort Kilmer, New Jersey. For her service, Arnold was awarded the Occupational Medal (Germany), a Good Conduct Award, and the National Defense Service Medal.

Head and shoulders photograph of Phyllis Arnold Crowley in military uniform.
Phyllis B. Arnold in her military uniform, c. 1951. Find a Grave.
Group photo showing 7 rows of women in uniform.
Phyllis Arnold trained at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas from January 1951 to March 1951. She is in the sixth row, second from the left. United States Air Force.

Veteran Experience

Following her discharge, Arnold returned to Springfield. In 1960, she married Richard Crowley, and the couple had three children: Denise, Calma, and Melissa. Richard worked at Dow Oil and the Springfield Gas Light Company while the children were growing up. Later, Phyllis worked alongside her husband, operating a small business. At some point, the couple relocated to Laconia, New Hampshire, to be closer to family. 

Phyllis Crowley was an avid sports fan. She especially loved basketball and was a devoted fan of both the Boston Celtics and the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team. She also enjoyed playing cards, completing crossword puzzles, reading, and going on hikes. Additionally, she was known for her competitive nature, which she proved by winning the skillet toss at the Sandwich Fair on multiple occasions.

Commemoration

Phyllis B. Arnold Crowley died on March 1, 2023, at the age of 91. She is buried at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, New Hampshire, alongside her husband, Richard, who died in 2004. At the time of her death, she was survived by her three daughters, three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and many nieces and nephews.

Head and shoulders color photograph of Phyllis Crowley.
Phyllis Crowley in her later years, March 22, 2023. The Laconia Daily Sun.
Grave plaque with the names Richard J. Crowley and Phyllis B. Crowley.
A photo of Crowley’s Grave at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, 2025. Find a Grave.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

“19 Cadets Get Caps at Hospital Here.” The Republican [Springfield, MA], June 24, 1944. Newspapers.com (1056558927).

“3744 WAF Squadron,” February 1951, Photograph. U.S. Air Force Basic Military Training Flight Photos. https://www.bmtflightphotos.af.mil/Portals/20/Flight%20Photograhs/1950s/1951/2%20-%20February/031101-F-1951A-022.jpg?ver=2018-06-20-091210-830.

Image 4 of Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts. Sanborn Map Company, 1911. Map. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3764sm.g03858191101/?sp=4&st=image&r=0.052,0,0,0,0.  .

Massachusetts. Hampden County. 1940 U.S. Census. Digital images. http://ancestryclasroom.com. 

Massachusetts. Hampden County. 1950 U.S. Census. Digital images. http://ancestryclasroom.com.

“Phyllis B. Crowley, 91.” The Laconia Daily Sun [Laconia, New Hampshire], March 21, 2023.  https://www.laconiadailysun.com/community/obituaries/phyllis-b-crowley-91/article_527ef6a0-c82b-11ed-b5c7-77c3ff8af281.html. 

Phyllis Barbara Arnold, DD-214, Department of the Air Force. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

Phyllis Barbara Arnold. Massachusetts Birth Index, 1860-1970. Digital image. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

Phyllis Barbara Arnold. Official Military Personnel File, Department of the Air Force. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

“Richard J. Crowley.” The Republican [Springfield, MA], November 30, 2004. https://obits.masslive.com/us/obituaries/masslive/name/richard-crowley-obituary?id=14514789.

Springfield Technical High School Yearbook. 1949.

Secondary Sources

“1950 Indian Warrior TT.” National Motorcycle Museum. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://nationalmcmuseum.org/2021/12/03/1950-indian-warrior-tt/. 

“Best of the Springfield Armory.” U.S. National Park Service. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=86B997F9-155D-451F-675C87EBB6C66D6B.  

“City of Firsts.” City of Springfield, MA. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.springfield-ma.gov/cos/gtk-firsts. 

Crowley, Phyllis B. National Cemetery Administration. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://gravelocator.cem.va.gov. 

“First Merriam-Webster Dictionary Published in Springfield.” Mass Movement. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.massmoments.org/moment-details/first-merriam-webster-dictionary-published-in-springfield.html. 

“History of The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.” Basketball Hall of Fame. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.hoophall.com/about/about-hall/history/. 

“Phyllis B. Arnold Crowley.” Find a Grave. Updated March 21, 2023. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/250972720/phyllis_b-crowley.

“Phyllis B. Crowley.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/PHYLLISBCROWLEY/a30fcc.

Pokin, Steve. “Everywhere You Turn in Springfield, There’s a Former Grocery Store.” Springfield News-Leader, August 7, 2016. https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2016/08/07/everywhere-you-turn-springfield-theres-former-grocery-store/88119010/.   

Ratté, Catherine, and Derek Strahan. Red Lines and Black Neighborhoods: A History of Race and Segregation in Springfield, Massachusetts. Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, 2024. https://www.pvpc.org/sites/default/files/files/Red%20Lines%20Black%20Neighborhoods%202024-05-09.pdf. 

“The Story of a Legend: America’s First Motorcycle Company. Indian Motorcycle. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/history/. 

Taylor, Steve. “A Look Back: Upper Valley Grocery Stores Change with the Times. Valley News, November 6, 2023. https://www.vnews.com/a-look-back-at-grocers-and-food-market-changes-52843758. 

“U.S. Military Rank Insignia.” U.S. Department of Defense. Updated 2019. Accessed April 24, 2025. https://www.defense.gov/Resources/Insignia/.

This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.