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 |
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]
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.
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.
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]
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, at age 86. He was survived by his children and his second wife.[5]
