Please click here to view a student eulogy for Crowley at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in 2025: https://youtu.be/9aw_13M1H4Y. 

Biography

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.

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.

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 Occupation Medal (Germany), a Good Conduct Award, and the National Defense Service Medal.

Veteran Experience
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.

Bibliography
Primary Sources
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.

“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 researched by Tabitha Arp, Alina Chausovsky, and Gabriel Landies, mentored by Bedford High School teacher Mrs. Sierra Dolce, as part of a Veterans Legacy Grant Program led by National History Day in the 2024/2025 academic year.

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.


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.

An excerpt from the 1940 census showing the Arnold family in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Phyllis B. Arnold in her military uniform, c. 1951. Find a Grave. 

Head and shoulders photograph of Phyllis Arnold Crowley in military 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.

Group photo showing seven rows of women in uniform.

Phyllis Arnold's DD-214 detailing her military service, October 20, 1954. Portions have been redacted for privacy reasons. National Archives and Records Administration. 

Phyllis Arnold's DD-214 detailing her military service. 

Phyllis Crowley in her later years, March 22, 2023. The Laconia Daily Sun.

Head and shoulders color photograph of Phyllis Crowley.

Crowley's marker at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery. Find a Grave, 2025.

Grave plaque with the names Richard J. Crowley and Phyllis B. Crowley.

PHYLLIS B CROWLEY

Service

A1C

Resting Place

Mementos

Tributes

Word Cloud

undefined

Milestones

Mementos

Historical Documents

Veteran programs and services

More VA resources

Get VA updates

In crisis? Get help now

Contact us