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 and received a United Nations Service Medal and a National Defense Service Medal.
During his tour with CINCPACFLT while based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, McCrerey interacted with Mid-Pacific Ocean peer mentors to help ensure highly effective NASA Apollo Program command capsule recoveries coordinated by Pacific Recovery Forces.