OBIT: William M. CRAWFORD, 1918, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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ALTOONA MAN GOES DOWN WITH TICONDEROGA

  According to a telegram received yesterday afternoon by Mrs. S. A. 
Ferguson, 1206 Ninth street, her son William M. Crawford, a seaman in 
the service of the United States government, lost his life on the ill-
fated Ticonderoga.
  The young man enlisted in the navy in Pittsburgh early in June of 
this year and was sent to Norfolk, Va., for preliminary training, later 
becoming a member of the crew of the Ticonderoga, formerly the German 
ship Camilla Rickmers, and made his first trip to France early in July 
of this year.
  The first indication the mother had that her son had likely perished 
with the  crew was yesterday morning when she read the report of the 
destruction of the Ticonderoga in the Times.  Later in the day, a 
telegram came from the war department, stating that the young man had 
lost his life when the ship went down.
  After being in foreign waters for some time, Mr. Crawford returned to 
the States and spent a five-day furlough in this city during the early 
part of September and sailed again for France late in September.
  During his first voyage, he was made a gun pointer on one of the big 
guns of the ship and, after returning to duty from this city, was made 
a Third Class Yoeman.
  According to the story given out by the seventeen survivors, many of 
the crew would have been saved but for the ruthless murder of the men 
after they had taken to the life boats.
  Before entering the service, Mr. Crawford was employed by the 
Pennsylvania Railroad company as a passenger brakeman on the Pittsburgh 
division.  He was well known in this city where he had resided all his 
life.

Altoona Times, Saturday Morning, October 12, 1918

Wm. M. Crawford Lost Life When Ship Went Down
WILLIAM M. CRAWFORD [photo]

  William M. Crawford, son of Mrs. S. A. Ferguson, of 1206 Ninth 
street, a seaman in the United States navy, was one of the men who lost 
their lives when the Ticonderoga was torpedoed and the survivors 
shelled on Oct. 2.
  William enlisted in the navy in Pittsburgh in June of this year and 
was sent to Norfolk, Va., where he underwent training and was assigned 
to the Ticonderoga, formerly the German ship Camilla Rickmers.  During 
his first trip he was made a gun pointer and later was made a third 
class yeoman.  After his first trip to France he was home on a five-day 
furlough.
  Before entering the service he was employed as a passenger brakeman 
on the Pittsburgh division.  He was married to a daughter of Mr. and 
Mrs. J. P. Haines of 409 Sixth street, Juniata, by whom he is survived 
together with his mother and two sisters, Mrs. J. B. Forsht and Miss 
Emily, both of this city and a brother, Robert W., of Franklin Grove, 
Pa.  His father was the late Woods Crawford.

Altoona Times, Altoona, Pa., Friday Morning, October 18, 1918

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Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joy Fisher 
<sdgenweb@yahoo.com> February 15, 2008, 4:18 am

Officers and Enlisted Men, 1920
CRAWFORD, WILLIAM NARROW, seaman, second class, United States Naval 
Reserve Force.
Enlisted: Pittsburgh, Pa., April 27, 1918.
Died: U. S. A. C. T. Ticonderoga, September 30, 1918.
Cause: Died when vessel was torpedoed by enemy submarine.
Next of kin: Wife, Alberta M. Crawford, Juniata, Pa. 

Extracted from:

OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY WHO LOST THEIR 
LIVES DURING THE WORLD WAR, FROM APRIL 6, 1917 TO NOVEMBER 11, 1918
WASHINGTON, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 1920

This file has been created by a form at 
http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/

Hoenstine, Floyd G., Soldiers of Blair County, "The World War" -
Crawford, Wm. Morrow, Smn. U.S. Navy, 1890-1918, At Sea