Austen Crehore
Encyclopedia
Sergeant Austen Ballard Crehore was a World War I
pilot
in the Armée de l'Air and the recipient of the Legion of Honor and Croix de guerre
with two palms.
Austen Ballard Crehore was born in Hackensack, New Jersey
January 9, 1893, the son of the innovative civil engineer
William Williams Crehore, who was responsible for many major engineering innovations in bridge and skyscraper
design and construction. (He designed 150 Nassau Street in New York City
, often called the first true skyscraper.) Crehore's mother was Anna (Ballard) Crehore.
Austen Crehore attended Hackensack Public Schools until March 1, 1917. He tried to enter the US Army Air Service and then the US Naval Aviation. His application was repeatedly rejected by the American Examining Board because of a hearing problem. Crehore refused to take “no” for an answer and shortly after sailed directly for France to join the larger and at the time more established French Air Corps (Armée de l'Air).
. He attended French aviation schools from July 21 to July 28 1917 at Avord
, Tours
, Pau, and G.D.E. He received his brevet
on the Caudron
France, September 30 1917.
Austen Crehore was known for bulldog-like tenacity. Even while suffering with appendicitis
he continued to fly until he got his first victory over the enemy, bringing down a German aircraft. Only then did he permit himself any rest or to go to the hospital to have his appendix removed.
Starting December 1, 1917 until the November 1918 armistice
, Crehore, badge #8983, served at the front with the Escadrille SPAD
94. They were known as "The Grim Reaper", painting its likeness prominently on the entire side of each of the Squadron 94's planes. Crehore earned verified credit with the downing of two enemy aircraft and was awarded France’s Croix de guerre with two palms for his fine record serving the French Flying Corps during the war. He was later awarded France’s Legion d’Honneur.
Serbian volunteer Lt. Petar (Pierre) Marinovich
was Austen's frequent flying partner and best friend. Marinovich had 22 confirmed shoot downs and credits Austen Crehore with saving his life early in his career as a German plane was on Marinovich's tail, machine gunning it to shreds. Crehore rolled in behind the German and took it out for one of his first confirmed victories over the enemy. Marinovich died in a plane crash in 1919 performing for the king and queen of Belgium
after the war.
First International Air Race, promoted by one of New York City's major daily newspapers. He departed Mineola, New York
(on Long Island
) in an Ansaldo S.V.A. (Ansaldo A.300
) and was by far the leader of the first leg of the air race. As he approached the first fuel stop in upstate New York
the hordes of onlookers and admirers, not understanding about airplanes, ran out on the airfield as he approached the landing strip to greet the leader. Austen had no choice but to pull up out of his landing procedure to save the lives of the onlookers, and crashed into a group of trees. The accident nearly killed him and very few of the people present understood that they caused the crash until they read the papers the next day. Crehore spent more than three months recovering from numerous broken bones.
After he was released from the hospital in Albany
, he announced that he would retire from flying and concentrate on building the Crehore and Richardson Agency, an insurance and brokerage firm in New York. On January 14, 1924 he married Katherine Dennis in New York City. They had three children, Katherine June Crehore (now June Crehore Gulick), Austen Crehore Jr (died within a few days of birth) and Thomas Oliver Crehore (a playwright).
Crehore continued to develop his company successfully through the Great Depression without difficulty. Years later he sold the Crehore and Richardson Agency to Eifert, French and Company of New York, where he served as President until his retirement in 1960. After that he served as president of the Lafayette Flying Corps
Association, and was the director of the American Society of French Legion of Honor.
Crehore died surrounded by his family in Scotch Plains
, New Jersey
, August 20, 1962, at age 69. He is buried with his wife Katherine at the Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey
. His uniform is now part of the permanent collection at the Westfield Historical Society in New Jersey, and his numerous metals and awards are kept at the International Aviation Museum in Colorado.
The Crehore family was a family of very early aviators. Three of Austen Ballard Crehore’s brothers were highly accomplished pilots, and two of his brothers served the US Army Air Service in World War I
at the same time as he was serving in the French Air Corps. All the Crehore brothers survived the war.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
in the Armée de l'Air and the recipient of the Legion of Honor and Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
with two palms.
Early life
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
January 9, 1893, the son of the innovative civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
William Williams Crehore, who was responsible for many major engineering innovations in bridge and skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
design and construction. (He designed 150 Nassau Street in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, often called the first true skyscraper.) Crehore's mother was Anna (Ballard) Crehore.
Austen Crehore attended Hackensack Public Schools until March 1, 1917. He tried to enter the US Army Air Service and then the US Naval Aviation. His application was repeatedly rejected by the American Examining Board because of a hearing problem. Crehore refused to take “no” for an answer and shortly after sailed directly for France to join the larger and at the time more established French Air Corps (Armée de l'Air).
Military career
On July 16 1917 Austen Crehore enlisted in France’s Service Aéronautique Militaire (Armée de l'Air), or Lafayette Flying CorpsLafayette Flying Corps
The Lafayette Flying Corps is a name used to describe the American volunteer pilots who flew for the French during World War I. It includes the pilots who flew with the bona fide Lafayette Escadrille squadron. The estimations of number of pilots range from 180 to over 300. The generally accepted...
. He attended French aviation schools from July 21 to July 28 1917 at Avord
Avord
Avord is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A farming area comprising the village and several hamlets situated by the banks of the river Yèvre, some east of Bourges at the junction of the D976 with the D36 and the D71 roads...
, Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
, Pau, and G.D.E. He received his brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
on the Caudron
Caudron
The Caudron Airplane Company was a French aircraft company founded in 1909 by brothers Gaston Caudron and René Caudron . It was one of the earliest aircraft manufacturers in France and produced planes for the military in both World War I and World War II...
France, September 30 1917.
Austen Crehore was known for bulldog-like tenacity. Even while suffering with appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
he continued to fly until he got his first victory over the enemy, bringing down a German aircraft. Only then did he permit himself any rest or to go to the hospital to have his appendix removed.
Starting December 1, 1917 until the November 1918 armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
, Crehore, badge #8983, served at the front with the Escadrille SPAD
Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés
SPAD was a French aircraft manufacturer between 1911 and 1921. Its SPAD S.XIII biplane was the most popular French fighter airplane in World War I.-Deperdussin:...
94. They were known as "The Grim Reaper", painting its likeness prominently on the entire side of each of the Squadron 94's planes. Crehore earned verified credit with the downing of two enemy aircraft and was awarded France’s Croix de guerre with two palms for his fine record serving the French Flying Corps during the war. He was later awarded France’s Legion d’Honneur.
Serbian volunteer Lt. Petar (Pierre) Marinovich
Petar Marinovich
Petar Marinovich was a French World War I flying ace credited with 22 aerial victories. He was killed shortly after the war in an air accident.-Biography:...
was Austen's frequent flying partner and best friend. Marinovich had 22 confirmed shoot downs and credits Austen Crehore with saving his life early in his career as a German plane was on Marinovich's tail, machine gunning it to shreds. Crehore rolled in behind the German and took it out for one of his first confirmed victories over the enemy. Marinovich died in a plane crash in 1919 performing for the king and queen of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
after the war.
Later life
On August 26, 1919, after his return from France, Austen Crehore entered the New York to TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
First International Air Race, promoted by one of New York City's major daily newspapers. He departed Mineola, New York
Mineola, New York
Mineola is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 18,799 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a Native American word meaning a "pleasant place"....
(on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
) in an Ansaldo S.V.A. (Ansaldo A.300
Ansaldo A.300
-See also:...
) and was by far the leader of the first leg of the air race. As he approached the first fuel stop in upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
the hordes of onlookers and admirers, not understanding about airplanes, ran out on the airfield as he approached the landing strip to greet the leader. Austen had no choice but to pull up out of his landing procedure to save the lives of the onlookers, and crashed into a group of trees. The accident nearly killed him and very few of the people present understood that they caused the crash until they read the papers the next day. Crehore spent more than three months recovering from numerous broken bones.
After he was released from the hospital in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, he announced that he would retire from flying and concentrate on building the Crehore and Richardson Agency, an insurance and brokerage firm in New York. On January 14, 1924 he married Katherine Dennis in New York City. They had three children, Katherine June Crehore (now June Crehore Gulick), Austen Crehore Jr (died within a few days of birth) and Thomas Oliver Crehore (a playwright).
Crehore continued to develop his company successfully through the Great Depression without difficulty. Years later he sold the Crehore and Richardson Agency to Eifert, French and Company of New York, where he served as President until his retirement in 1960. After that he served as president of the Lafayette Flying Corps
Lafayette Flying Corps
The Lafayette Flying Corps is a name used to describe the American volunteer pilots who flew for the French during World War I. It includes the pilots who flew with the bona fide Lafayette Escadrille squadron. The estimations of number of pilots range from 180 to over 300. The generally accepted...
Association, and was the director of the American Society of French Legion of Honor.
Crehore died surrounded by his family in Scotch Plains
Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township population increased to a record high of 23,510.-History:...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, August 20, 1962, at age 69. He is buried with his wife Katherine at the Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey
Westfield, New Jersey
Westfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 30,316. The old village area, now the downtown district, was settled in 1720 as part of the Elizabethtown Tract....
. His uniform is now part of the permanent collection at the Westfield Historical Society in New Jersey, and his numerous metals and awards are kept at the International Aviation Museum in Colorado.
The Crehore family was a family of very early aviators. Three of Austen Ballard Crehore’s brothers were highly accomplished pilots, and two of his brothers served the US Army Air Service in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
at the same time as he was serving in the French Air Corps. All the Crehore brothers survived the war.
