Former JCS chairman Crowe dies at 82

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
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<p><a href="http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/10/navy_crowe_obit_071018w/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/10/navy_crowe_obit_071018w/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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Adm. William J. Crowe, a naval officer whose long career included stints as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. ambassador to England and even an appearance on the TV show “Cheers,” died early Thursday, the U.S. Navy Memorial announced. He was 82.</p>

<p>Crowe died of cardiac arrest at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., said Navy Memorial CEO retired Rear Adm. Rick Buchanan. Crowe was being treated for pulmonary disease....</p>

<p>...Crowe is survived by his wife, Shirley Grinel, and their three children. According to Buchanan, a funeral has tentatively been scheduled for Oct. 31 at the Naval Academy.

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<p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/18/AR2007101801320.html?hpid=topnews%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/18/AR2007101801320.html?hpid=topnews&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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William J. Crowe Jr., 82, the Navy admiral who held the nation's top military job as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the Cold War neared its end and who in retirement publicly criticized military and presidential decisions, died of cardiac arrest Oct. 18 at Bethesda Naval Medical Center. </p>

<p>Adm. Crowe, a nonconformist whose background combined political skills with military experience, led American troops through crises ranging from the 1986 air raid on Libya to the showdown with Iran over control of the Persian Gulf. He also shortened the military chain of command, broke down inter-service rivalries and developed an unprecedented relationship with the head of the Soviet military that helped prevent military confrontations between the two superpowers. </p>

<p>Adm. Crowe also quickly defused a brink-of-war situation with an immediate apology in 1988 after a U.S. warship in the Persian Gulf mistook a civilian jetliner for an Iranian F14 attack fighter and blew it out of the sky, killing 290 civilians. ...

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<p>It would be a shame to not be allowed to attend. Adm. Crowe was a sincere gentleman, I will miss him.</p>

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<p>Seeing as many mids had ADM Crowe as a poli-sci prof, I can't see how the funeral wouldnt be open to the mids</p>

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<p>What a gentleman.</p>

<p>We need more leaders like him...</p>

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Those performances and others led the New York Times to call him "the most powerful peacetime military officer in American history."

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One of the few Joint chiefs who had never led his own branch of service, Adm. Crowe was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1985. He declined a request from President George H.W. Bush to serve a second four-year term. But unlike the MacArthurian generals who quietly fade away, Adm. Crowe made his retirement years strikingly public.
He condemned the military's anti-gay bias and the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, the first officer of his stature to do so. He criticized the buildup to the first Gulf War, endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton when others questioned his lack of military credentials, served as chairman of two boards charged with investigating the bombings of the embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, then warned about insecure U.S. embassies a year after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

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"My father used to say, 'Your mind is like a parachute. If it won't open when you need it, it is not much good.' I have an open mind," he said at his confirmation hearing. "My minister said that the difference between a eulogy and a testimonial is that in the case of the testimonial there is one man in the audience who believes it."

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Since 1999, Adm. Crowe had taught a class in security decision-making at Annapolis. He told the midshipmen last year that although he didn't know how to get out of Iraq, he could help them learn how to avoid the next Iraq.
"Bending another culture to your will can't be done on the cheap," he told the class. "Our resources are not unlimited and we should not be led to believe otherwise." Every administration "underestimates the cost in time, money and casualties," he said. "Voters should be die-hard cynics when evaluating such predictions."

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<p>Hope the Midshipmen are allowed to attend. He should be honored by the Brigade.</p>

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<p><a href="http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/10_19-25/NAV%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/10_19-25/NAV&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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William Crowe, a Naval Academy-trained submarine officer who rose to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and served as ambassador to Britain, has died at age 82.</p>

<p>The retired admiral died early Thursday at Bethesda Naval Hospital, the Navy announced. No cause of death was released immediately....

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<p>Heard from a friend, I have not seen any official word, could anyone confirm?</p>

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<p>Services @ 10:am 10/31/07. See dcmilitary.com and "Trident" for full schedule and parking.</p>

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<p>Just heard from the Yard that if Mids are free they are allowed to go to the funeral tomorrow.</p>

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<p><a href="http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/11_01-50/TOP%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/11_01-50/TOP&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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A caisson carrying the body of Adm. William James Crowe Jr. makes its way to the Naval Academy Cemetery yesterday.</p>

<p>Adm. Crowe, a member of the academy Class of 1947 and a submariner, served in uniform for 46 years in a career that included the nation's highest military position, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff....

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<p>Mine said this was one BIG event. Said anything below a 4 star "had to sit in a back pew." Lots of brass, DC officials, chopper fly-ins, limos, etc. Too bad they couldn't have sent a more appropriate ex-prexy. Here's to the office and not the man ... and most of all Adm. Crowe, a great patriot and sailor.</p>

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<p>Former Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, retired Adm. William James Crowe Jr., was laid to rest with full military honors at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery Oct. 31. </p>

<p>Crowe, a graduate of the Naval Academy's Class of 1947, passed away Oct. 18 at the age of 82.</p>

<p>"Adm. Crowe was a superb example to our Midshipmen, embodying the traits of leadership, character and service we strive to instill in all of our graduates," said Naval Academy Superintendent, Vice Adm. Jeffrey L. Fowler. "An outstanding leader, submariner, ambassador and teacher, Adm. Crowe gave generously of his time and resources in support of the Naval Academy and mentored and led generations of midshipmen and naval officers. He will be greatly missed. On behalf of the entire Naval Academy family - past, present and future - our heartfelt condolences go out to the Crowe family."</p>

<p>During the service in the Naval Academy Chapel, Crowe's life and service to the nation was honored with eulogies from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, former President of the United States Bill Clinton, Crowe's daughter and others.</p>

<p>Following the chapel service, ceremonial troops from the 3rd U.S. Infantry, U.S. Marine Corps Ceremonial Guard Company, U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, and U.S. Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard led the funeral procession, including the horse-drawn caisson and U.S. Navy Band, to the Naval Academy Cemetery. </p>

<p>Crowe was buried next to his classmate and friend Vice Adm. James B. Stockdale, the former Vietnam prisoner of war and Medal of Honor recipient who passed away in 2005. Mullen, the first naval officer to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs since Crowe, presented the American flag to Crowe's wife, Shirley, at the gravesite.</p>

<p>Crowe, who began his naval career serving aboard diesel submarines, served as the 11th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1985-1989. He also served as ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1994-1997.</p>

<p>Crowe remained deeply involved in the Naval Academy and the Brigade of Midshipmen. A resident of Alexandria, Va., Crowe returned to the Academy regularly to teach political science seminars. He also actively supported the Robert Means Thompson Society, an organization that recognizes philanthropy benefiting the Academy. </p>

<p>Crowe received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000. In 2001, the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association honored Crowe with its Distinguished Graduate Award for his significant contributions as a Naval officer and demonstrated, unselfish commitment to a lifetime of service to the nation.</p>

<p>The Naval Academy Cemetery is the final resting place for several legendary Naval leaders, to include Adm. Arleigh A. Burke, Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr., and Fleet Adm. Ernest J. King. </p>

<p>The U.S. Naval Academy issued the following news release:
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SW) Misty Trent
Naval Academy Public Affairs</p>

<p>Copyright 2007 HT Media Ltd.
All Rights Reserved
US Fed News
October 31, 2007 Wednesday 4:04 AM EST</p>