Joe Crakes

Joseph Henry Crakes (December 29, 1907 – March 23, 1976) was an American football player.

Crakes was born in 1907 in Platte, South Dakota. He attended the University of South Dakota where he won three freshmen letters and nine varsity letters in football, basketball, and track.

After his football career ended, he began a career in the Army and later the Air Force. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1935, to captain in 1941, and to major in 1942. He served as headquarters commandant at the 5th Air Service Command starting in 1942. He graduated from the Fort Leavenworth Command and General Staff College in 1943 and served as deputy commanding officer at Lawrence Field in Georgia. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1945 and assigned to the Azores Base Command. He also served as base commander and commanding officer of the 4702d Air Force Defense Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base south of Spokane, Washington, and later as base commander of George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. He retired from the Air Force in 1961.