US Navy Captain McCrerey was born in Hiawatha, Brown County, Kansas. During 1941 he graduated from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, with a mathematics degree. Homer was commissioned at the US Naval Academy in 1942. He completed Naval Postgraduate School in 1952. For over 20 years, he advanced both the art and science of computer-aided mathematical modeling that improved global weather forecasting. He served in the Navy during World War II as ship's engineer on USS Strive and later as a meteorologist in the Naval Weather Service. He served as commanding officer of Fleet Weather Central at several posts. He was decorated nine times during his 31-year career including these medals: American Campaign; European-African-Middle Eastern [EAME] Campaign with star; World War II Victory; Korean Presidential Unit Citation; Navy Commendation; United Nations Service; and National Defense Service. During his tour with CINCPACFLT (Headquarters, Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet) while based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, McCrerey interacted with mid-Pacific Ocean near-peer mentors to help ensure highly effective NASA Apollo Program Command Capsule Recoveries coordinated by Pacific Recovery Forces.