William Avery Crawford (January 14, 1915 – December 14, 2001) was an American diplomat who served as the last Minister and first United States Ambassador to Romania, from 1962 to 1965.[1][2]
William A. Crawford | |
|---|---|
| 1st United States Ambassador to Romania | |
| In office December 24, 1964 – October 10, 1965 | |
| President | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | Himself as Minister |
| Succeeded by | Richard H. Davis |
| 23rd United States Minister to Romania | |
| In office February 10, 1962 – December 24, 1964 | |
| President | John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | Clifton Reginald Wharton Sr. |
| Succeeded by | Himself as Ambassador |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 14, 1915 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | December 14, 2001 (aged 86) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) |
Barbara Gardner
(m. 1940; died 1979)Gudrun Hadell |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Haverford College (BA) |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
Early life and education
editCrawford was born on January 14, 1915;[3] the son of John Raymond Crawford, a professor of Greek and Latin at Lafayette College, and Pauline Avery.[4]
Educated abroad in France, he studied at Haverford College, and went abroad to Spain during the Spanish Civil War.[5] He graduated in 1936 with a Bachelor of Arts. He later studied at the Russian Institute, now known as the Harriman Institute, at Columbia University.[1]
After graduation, Crawford worked at a department store before joining the diplomatic corps.
Diplomacy
editCrawford joined the United States Foreign Service in 1941, serving in Moscow, Paris, Havana, and Prague.[6] Although subjected to a loyalty investigation under Executive Order 9835 in 1951,[7] he passed,[7] and continued his work in the Foreign Service. He was chosen to be Minister in October 1961.[8]
In February 1962, he presented his credentials as Minister, serving until the post was upgraded to Ambassador in 1964.[9] During this time, he helped to support Romania-United States relations in the fields of trade and cultural exchange.[10]
He and his wife, Barbara, founded the American International School of Bucharest in 1962.[6]
Crawford left his post in October 1965.
Later career
editAfter Romania, Crawford was an assistant to Lyman Lemnitzer, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, from 1965 to 1967.[1] He retired from the Foreign Service in 1970.[6]
He then taught at the Landon School, worked at a marketing company,[6] finished his memoirs, and contributed to a biography on his mother.[11]
Personal life and death
editCrawford was married twice: first to Barbara Gardner, from October 19, 1940,[12] till her death in September 1979;[13] and then to Gudrun Hadell.[1]
From his first marriage, he had five children: three sons and two daughters.[11]
Crawford died at his home on December 14, 2001, at age 86. He was survived by his children and his second wife.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Pace, Eric (December 26, 2001). "William Crawford, 86, Envoy From U.S. to Romania in 60's". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project AMBASSADOR WILLIAM A. CRAWFORD" (PDF). Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. 23 March 1989. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ^ "Brevities". The Evening Republican. January 19, 1915. p. 6. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "Lafayette College Professor Ends Life". The Morning Call. April 16, 1929. p. 20. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "Easton Couple Reported Safely Out of Spain". The Morning Call. July 30, 1936. p. 22. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "William Crawford, 86; Soviet Expert Served in 5 U.S. Envoy Posts". Los Angeles Times. December 16, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ a b Lori Clune (April 8, 2016). Executing the Rosenbergs: Death and Diplomacy in a Cold War World. Oxford University Press. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-19-026589-2.
- ^ "Envoy Reported Picked". The New York Times. October 27, 1961. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "Rumanian Post Upgraded". The New York Times. December 6, 1964. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "U.S. ACTS TO SPUR RUMANIAN TRADE; Nations Reach Accord That Opens Door to New Links With Eastern Europe". The New York Times. June 2, 1964. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ a b "William Avery Crawford, 86". Washington Post. December 16, 2001. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "Miss Gardner Wed at Home; Daughter of Retired Officer in Army Becomes Bride of William A. Crawford". The New York Times. October 20, 1940. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "Barbara Crawford". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 14, 1979. p. 12. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
External links
edit- William Avery Crawford at the Office of the Historian
- William Avery Crawford in the Biographic Register of the Department of State (1959), pp. 170-1