Clifford Alfred Crawford

Clifford Alfred Crawford’s Personal Narrative was derived from information found in public records, military personnel files, and local/state historical association materials. Please note that the Robb Centre never fully closes the book on our servicemembers; as new information becomes available, narratives will be updated to appropriately represent the life story of each veteran.

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Military Honor(s):

Distinguished Service Cross

Citation: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private Clifford Crawford (ASN: 2335087), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with HQ Company, 372d Infantry Regiment, 93d Division, A.E.F., near Bussy Farm, France, September 28 - 29, 1918. Private Crawford was acting as liaison agent between regimental headquarters and the battalion. Having carried a message through a heavy bombardment to the commander of a battalion which was about to make an attack, he joined the first wave of the attack and dashed into the enemy's trenches. Seeing two of the enemy rush to a dugout, he followed them and brought ten prisoners from the dugout, killing two who tried to escape.

Croix de Guerre with Bronze Palm

Medaille Militaire 3R

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Life & Service

  • Birth: 16 February 1897, Union Springs, AL, United States
  • Place of Residence:
  • Race/Ethnicity: African American
  • Death: 24 November 1978 Boston, MA, United States
  • Branch: Army
  • Military Rank: Private
  • Company: [HQ]
  • Infantry Regiment: 372nd
  • Division: 93rd
Personal Narrative
Early Life (Pre-War): Includes general parent information, sibling information, education Toggle Accordion

Clifford Alfred Crawford was born to Claudia Crawford (1882-1958) and an unknown father on 16 February 1897 in Union Springs, Alabama. In the early 1900s, Crawford and his mother moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where she met and married native Jamaican Charles DePass, who helped raise Clifford. Clifford attended and graduated from Boston English High School in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.

Service: Includes a summary of transfers, rank change(s), training, enlistment, and discharge locations Toggle Accordion

There is no confirmed enlistment and induction date. Private Crawford and his Company sailed on the U.S. Army Transport Ship Susquehanna on 30 March 1918, arriving in Brest, France on 6 April. Private Crawford received the Distinguished Service Cross (7 November 1918), French Medaille Militarie (14 May 1919) and French Croix de Guerre with Palm (24 April 1919) for his actions near Bussy Farm, France, on 28-29 September 1918;

“The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private Clifford Crawford (ASN: 2335087), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Headquarters Company, 372d Infantry Regiment, 93d Division, A.E.F., near Bussy Farm, France, September 28 – 29, 1918. Private Crawford was acting as liaison agent between regimental headquarters and the battalion. Having carried a message through a heavy bombardment to the commander of a battalion which was about to make an attack, he joined the first wave of the attack and dashed into the enemy’s trenches. Seeing two of the enemy rush to a dugout, he followed them and brought ten prisoners from the dugout, killing two who tried to escape”. Awarded DSC by CG, AEF, 7 November 1918. Published in G.O. No. 13, W.D., 1919.

French Medaille Militaire, by Presidential Decree of 14 May 1919, and Croix de Guerre with Palm, under Order No. 16.704 “D”, dated 24 April 1919. Date and place of act not shown.

Private Crawford and his Company sailed on the U.S. Army Transport Ship Leviathan on 3 February 1919, arriving in Hoboken, New Jersey on 11 February. Private Crawford was Honorably Discharged on 27 February 1919.

Later Life (Post-War): Includes post-war education, occupation, marriage(s) and/or children, location and date of death Toggle Accordion

Crawford attended Suffolk Law School in Boston, MA and Tufts University in Medford, MA; for most of his career, Clifford worked in various departments within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Clifford enlisted and served again as a Private in World War II from 6 October 1942-25 July 1945.

Crawford served as the chief authorizing agent for the Veteran’s Service Department in Boston, Massachusetts from 1947 until his retirement in 1965; he married Gwendolyn Mae Nelson (1902-1988) in the 1940s, they had no children.

Crawford died on 24 November 1978 in New York whilst visiting family; he is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Boston, Massachusetts.