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Crichton served in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War II]] as a field artillery officer and special agent. He won the Air Medal, five Battle Stars, and the [[Bronze Star]]. He retired as a colonel  in the Army Reserve.<ref name=tamu/>​

Crichton served in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War II]] as a field artillery officer and special agent. He won the Air Medal, five Battle Stars, and the [[Bronze Star]]. He retired as a colonel  in the Army Reserve.<ref name=tamu/>​

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He was stationed in [[Europe]] in the [[Office of Strategic Services]], the forerunner of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]]. He was a field artillery officer and special agent. In 1946, Crichton was recruited by Everette DeGolyer, a former conservation director in the administration of [[U.S. President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and later a co-founder of [[Texas Instruments]], to operate a group of companies which were frequnetly renamed to make it more difficult to trace their operations. According to investigative journalist Russ Baker, the companies "operated largely below the radar, and fronted for some of North America's biggest names, including the Bronfmans  Seagram's liquor, the [[Du Pont]]s, and the Kuhn-Loeb family of financiers."<ref name=spartacus/> ​

He was stationed in [[Europe]] in the [[Office of Strategic Services]], the forerunner of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]]. He was a field artillery officer and special agent. In 1946, Crichton was recruited by Everette DeGolyer, a former conservation director in the administration of [[U.S. President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and later a co-founder of [[Texas Instruments]], to operate a group of companies which were frequnetly renamed to make it more difficult to trace their operations. According to investigative journalist Russ Baker, the companies "operated largely below the radar, and fronted for some of North America's biggest names, including the Bronfmans  Seagram's liquor, the [[DuPont]]s, and the Kuhn-Loeb family of financiers."<ref name=spartacus/> ​

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In 1952, Crichton joined a syndicate that included DeGolyer and Clint Murchison of Dallas to use connections in the government of General [[Francisco Franco]] to obtain drilling rights in [[Spain]]. The operation was handled by Delta Drilling, owned by Joe Zeppa. In August 1953, Crichton joined the Empire Trust Company and later became its vice president.  The company maintained a network of associates similar to a "private CIA". Empire Trust was an investor of the [[Fort Worth]]-based [[General Dynamics]].<ref name=spartacus/> ​

In 1952, Crichton joined a syndicate that included DeGolyer and Clint Murchison of Dallas to use connections in the government of General [[Francisco Franco]] to obtain drilling rights in [[Spain]]. The operation was handled by Delta Drilling, owned by Joe Zeppa. In August 1953, Crichton joined the Empire Trust Company and later became its vice president.  The company maintained a network of associates similar to a "private CIA". Empire Trust was an investor of the [[Fort Worth]]-based [[General Dynamics]].<ref name=spartacus/> ​

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In 1956, Crichton became commander of the 488th Military Intelligence Detachment, which operated under Lieutenant Colonel George Whitmeyer, the overall commander of all Army Reserve units in East Texas. According to Crichton, there were about a hundred men in the unit, with nearly half of them coming from the Dallas Police Department.<ref name=spartacus/>​

In 1956, Crichton became commander of the 488th Military Intelligence Detachment, which operated under Lieutenant Colonel George Whitmeyer, the overall commander of all Army Reserve units in East Texas. According to Crichton, there were about a hundred men in the unit, with nearly half of them coming from the Dallas Police Department.<ref name=spartacus/>​

 

==Cuban-Venezuelan Oil Voting Trust Company==​

==Cuban-Venezuelan Oil Voting Trust Companny==​

Crichton was also involved with several other oilmen who negotiated drilling rights in [[Cuba]] under President [[Fulgencio Batista]]. [[Standard Oil]] of [[Indiana]] signed an agreement with the Cuban-Venezuelan Oil Voting Trust Company (CVOVTC), a unit originally established by [[William F. Buckley, Jr.|William F. Buckley, Sr.]], for access to fifteen acres. During the mid-1950s, CVOVTC was one of the four or five most traded entities on the [[American Stock Exchange]].

Crichton was also involved with several other oilmen who negotiated drilling rights in [[Cuba]] under President [[Fulgencio Batista]]. [[Standard Oil]] of [[Indiana]] signed an agreement with the Cuban-Venezuelan Oil Voting Trust Company (CVOVTC), a unit originally established by [[William F. Buckley, Jr.|William F. Buckley, Sr.]], for access to fifteen acres. During the mid-1950s, CVOVTC was one of the four or five most traded entities on the [[American Stock Exchange]].

Batista's [[communist]] successor, [[Fidel Castro]], reduced the size of claims for oil exploration to a maximum of two thousand acres and ended large-scale explorations by private companies.<ref name=spartacus/> ​

Batista's [[communist]] successor, [[Fidel Castro]], reduced the size of claims for oil exploration to a maximum of two thousand acres and ended large-scale explorations by private companies.<ref name=spartacus/> ​

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The rise of Castro ruined CVOVTC, which had invested $30 million looking for oil in Cuba. The company was de-listed in December 1960 from the American Stock Exchange.<ref name=spartacus/>​

The rise of Fidel Castro ruined CVOVTC, which had invested $30 million looking for oil in Cuba. The company was de-listed in December 1960 from the American Stock Exchange.<ref name=spartacus/>​

 

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Critchton was appointed head of the intelligence component of Dallas Civil Defense. The conservative radio commentator [[Paul Harvey]] wrote in September 1960: "The Communists, since 1917, have sold communism to more people than have been told about [[Christ]] after 2,000 years." He urged his readers to support the "counter-attack . . . mounted in Dallas."<ref name=spartacus/>  ​

Critchton was appointed head of the intelligence component of Dallas Civil Defense. The conservative radio commentator [[Paul Harvey]] wrote in September 1960: "The Communists, since 1917, have sold communism to more people than have been told about [[Christ]] after 2,000 years." He urged his readers to support the "counter-attack . . . mounted in Dallas."<ref name=spartacus/>  ​

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"I walked over to Elm Street to see the Kennedy delegation. . . . President Kennedy and [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis|Jackie]] made a handsome couple. She was resplendent in her pink dress and pink pillbox hat. The crowds on the sidewalks applauded, and waved as they drove by. . . . I entered the hotel . . . The room was almost filled, and people were seated at the individual tables. . . . We had the invocation, and many guests began to eat their lunch. Suddenly we heard sirens screaming and someone from outside ran up to the head table and excitedly said, 'The President, Vice President, and Governor Connally have all been shot.' I stood and announced the news. There was stunned silence in the room. Someone then produced a radio, and the news confirmed that the President had been shot.. . . "<ref>Jack Crichton, ''The Republican-Democrat Political Campaigns in Texas in 1964,'' self-published, 2004, pp. 7-8, ISBN 1-4184-2574-5 (paperback).</ref>​

"I walked over to Elm Street to see the Kennedy delegation. . . . President Kennedy and [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis|Jackie]] made a handsome couple. She was resplendent in her pink dress and pink pillbox hat. The crowds on the sidewalks applauded, and waved as they drove by. . . . I entered the hotel . . . The room was almost filled, and people were seated at the individual tables. . . . We had the invocation, and many guests began to eat their lunch. Suddenly we heard sirens screaming and someone from outside ran up to the head table and excitedly said, 'The President, Vice President, and Governor Connally have all been shot.' I stood and announced the news. There was stunned silence in the room. Someone then produced a radio, and the news confirmed that the President had been shot.. . . "<ref>Jack Crichton, ''The Republican-Democrat Political Campaigns in Texas in 1964,'' self-published, 2004, pp. 7-8, ISBN 1-4184-2574-5 (paperback).</ref>​

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==Gubernatorial race==

==Gubernatorial race==