William A. Crawford
1st United States Ambassador to Romania
In office
December 24, 1964 – October 10, 1965
PresidentLyndon B. Johnson
Preceded byHimself
as Minister
Succeeded byRichard H. Davis
23rd United States Minister to Romania
In office
February 10, 1962 – December 24, 1964
PresidentJohn F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded byClifton Reginald Wharton Sr.
Succeeded byHimself
as Ambassador
Personal details
Born(1915-01-14)January 14, 1915
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedDecember 14, 2001(2001-12-14) (aged 86)
Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Spouse(s)
Barbara Gardner
​
​
(m. 1940; died 1979)​

Gudrun Hadell
Children5
EducationHaverford College (BA)
OccupationDiplomat

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]

Early life and education

Crawford was born on January 14, 1915;[2] the son of John Raymond Crawford, a professor of Greek and Latin at Lafayette College, and Pauline Avery.[3]

Educated abroad in France, he studied at Haverford College, and went abroad to Spain during the Spanish Civil War.[4] 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

Crawford joined the United States Foreign Service in 1941, serving in Moscow, Paris, Havana, and Prague.[5] Although subjected to a loyalty investigation under Executive Order 9835 in 1951,[6] he passed,[6] and continued his work in the Foreign Service. He was chosen to be Minister in October 1961.[7]

In February 1962, he presented his credentials as Minister, serving until the post was upgraded to Ambassador in 1964.[8] During this time, he helped to support Romania-United States relations in the fields of trade and cultural exchange.[9]

He and his wife, Barbara, founded the American International School of Bucharest in 1962.[5]

Crawford left his post in October 1965.

Later career

After 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.[5]

He then taught at the Landon School, worked at a marketing company,[5] finished his memoirs, and contributed to a biography on his mother.[10]

Personal life and death

Crawford was married twice: first to Barbara Gardner, from October 19, 1940,[11] till her death in September 1979;[12] and then to Gudrun Hadell.[1]

From his first marriage, he had five children: three sons and two daughters.[10]

Crawford died at his home on December 14, 2001, a month before his 87th birthday. He was survived by his children and his second wife.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 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.
  2. ↑ "Brevities". The Evening Republican. January 19, 1915. p. 6. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Lafayette College Professor Ends Life". The Morning Call. April 16, 1929. p. 20. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Easton Couple Reported Safely Out of Spain". The Morning Call. July 30, 1936. p. 22. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "William Crawford, 86; Soviet Expert Served in 5 U.S. Envoy Posts". Los Angeles Times. December 16, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  6. 1 2 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.
  7. ↑ "Envoy Reported Picked". The New York Times. October 27, 1961. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Rumanian Post Upgraded". The New York Times. December 6, 1964. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  9. ↑ "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.
  10. 1 2 "William Avery Crawford, 86". Washington Post. December 16, 2001. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "Barbara Crawford". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 14, 1979. p. 12. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
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