Edgar Gibson Crossman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1895-04-26)April 26, 1895 |
| Died | January 28, 1967(1967-01-28) (aged 71) New York City |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Service years | 1916–1919 1944–1945 |
| Rank |  Colonel |
| Awards | Legion of Merit Distinguished Service Star (Philippines) |
Edgar Gibson "Eddie" Crossman (April 26, 1895 – January 28, 1967).[2] was an attorney and senior partner in Davis, Polk, Wardwell, Sunderland & Kiendl (nowDavis Polk & Wardwell), an officer in the United States Army in World War I and World War II, and a diplomat.[3]
Crossman was born in Lisbon, New Hampshire, to Dr. Edgar Orrin Crossman, a famous physician and surgeon and Florence Alice Lavinia (née Gibson) Crossman, a homemaker. Mrs. Crossman was a native ofGuelph, Ontario, Canada. He was an only child. Dr. Crossman studied atNew Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts (now theUniversity of New Hampshire) in Hanover and received his M.D. from theUniversity of Vermont in 1887. Dr. Crossman served as President of the White Mountains Medical Society; and in 1903 was elected to theNew Hampshire General Court, the state legislature. Subsequently, Dr. Crossman was head of the Lakeview Sanitarium inBurlington, Vermont. During World War I, Dr. Crossman was a Captain in the Army Medical Corps. From 1923–1929, he was the first Regional Medical Director, U.S. Veteran's Bureau inBoston and then inWashington, D.C. The Crossman's were members of theCongregational Church.[4]
Crossman graduated fromPortsmouth High School,Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1912 andPhillips Academy,Andover, Massachusetts in 1913. He matriculated inYale College, majored in English, and was awarded an A.B. in 1917. At Yale, Crossman was on the Freshman Football Squad, the "Yale Daily News" Board, and the Senior Class Book Committee; additionally, he was a member ofPsi Upsilon andWolf's Head Society. Crossman enrolled atHarvard Law School and received his L.L.B. degree in 1922.[5]
In 1916, Crossman enrolled in theReserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) at Yale and reported to thePlattsburgh Barracks,Plattsburgh, New York for training. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery on August 15, 1917. Crossman was assigned to the76th Field Artillery atFort Ethan Allen, Vermont and promoted to First Lieutenant on October 26. He was transferred to the4th Field Artillery atCamp Shelby, Mississippi on December 8, 1917 and assumed command of Battery C, 4th Field Artillery at Camp Shelby on June 6, 1918. Subsequently, he commanded this battery atCamp Logan,Houston, Texas and at Camp Scurry,Corpus Christi, Texas until January 4, 1919. Crossman was recommended for promotion to Captain on October 27, 1918, but the appointment was not made due to the Armistice. From January 9 – March 1919 Crossman attended the Battery Officer's course in the Field Artillery School of Fire atFort Sill, Oklahoma. He returned to the 4th Field Artillery at Camp Stanley, Texas as a Battery Commander, and transferred to the Reserve Corps (inactive) on June 11, 1919.[6] Crossman was Captain Field Artillery Reserve from 1919–1924 and a Major from 1924.[7]
From 1922–1925, Crossman was an associate atWinthrop & Stimson, a major New York law firm. In 1925, he joined David, Polk, Wardwell, Gardiner & Reed.[8] In 1928, at the invitation ofHenry L. Stimson,Governor-General of the Philippines, Crossman took a leave of absence from the firm and became his legal aide. On his way to thePhilippines, abroad theEmpress of Asia, Crossman met Helen "Hi" Greatsinger Farrell Caldwell, a widow who was travelling to see, Walter Greatsinger Farrell, her elder brother; a Marine aviator assigned to the4th Marines in Shanghai. Subsequently, they were married inManila. The Honorable Henry L. Stimson, Governor General of the Philippines and Mrs. Stimson, the Honorable and Mrs.Manuel Quezon, President, Philippine Senate and later President of the Philippines and AdmiralMark Lambert Bristol USN, Commander, Asiatic Fleet and Mrs. Bristol were among the distinguished guests. This event marked one of the first times that Filipinos and their wives were invited to official parties.[9] At the conclusion of his assignment, the Crossman's traveled in China, traversed theSoviet Union via theTrans-Siberian Railway, and spent some time in Moscow,Warsaw,Prague and other cities in Europe. Crossman resumed his career at Davis, Polk in New York. He was made a partner in April 1934. In 1941, Crossman became a member of the Executive Committee and Chairman of the Committee on Admissions of theNew York Bar Association. He also belonged to theAmerican Bar Association and was a member of the New York County Republican Committee.[10]
During the War, combat over-age officer personnel with governmental, medical, legal, financial experience were commissioned asCivil Affairs officers. As a result of his experience in the Philippines, Crossman applied to rejoin the Army and was recalled to active duty on June 6, 1944 and commissioned as a Lieutenant Colonel and Civil Affairs Officer on June 28, 1944. He was and attached to General Headquarters Southwest Pacific Area (GHQ SWPA) and United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). Crossman served in Australia,New Guinea and thePhilippines. He participated in the landing in Leyte and helped reestablish civilian government in the Philippines. As Executive Officer and deputy to Brigadier GeneralCourtney Whitney, Chief of the Civil Affairs Section. Crossman frequently dealt personally with GeneralDouglas MacArthur. Crossman's role was complicated as MacArthur's professional staff was jealous of him as he had known the General socially in the Philippines when he worked for Stimson. On July 27, 1945, Crossman was promoted to Colonel and was requested by Stimson, then theUnited States Secretary of War, to be MacArthur's representative on his personal staff in Washington, D.C. In this capacity, he performed a liaison function and was ordered to help rewrite the Japanese Occupation Directive which incorporated his experience during the Philippine campaign. On October 1, 1945, Crossman was released from active duty and ordered to his home of record at 1088 Park Avenue in New York, New York.[11] He recorded his experiences in a previously unpublished manuscript,My Experiences in WWII.
In 1947, Crossman was appointed American Chairman of the Joint American-Philippine Finance Commission, acting as personal representative of PresidentHarry S. Truman, with the rank of Minister. Crossman co-chaired the Commission with Finance Secretary Miguel Cuaderno, Sr. The Commission studied Philippine financial, monetary, and fiscal problems and recommended a shift from the dollar exchange standard to a managed currency system. The new Central Bank of the PhilippinesBangko Sentral ng Pilipinas implemented the Commission's recommendations.[12]
In 1947, Crossman returned to practicing law at Davis, Polk in New York; and as outside counsel continued to advise major institutional clients such asMorgan Stanley, theNorthern Pacific Railroad andFreeport Sulfur. He practiced law until shortly before his death.[13]
Toward the end of World War II, TheInstitute of Pacific Relations (IPR), an NGO established in 1925 to provide a forum for discussion of problems and relations between nations of the Pacific Rim fell under criticism for alleged communist sympathies. In 1952, as a result of his long interest in Asia, Crossman represented IPR,pro bono, before theSenate Internal Security Subcommittee, chaired by SenatorPat McCarran. When he represented the IPR, Crossman and his colleagues were unaware of theVerona intercepts, which were not released to the public until 1995, that implicated several key staffers of the IPR as Communists or collaborators.[14]
On January 21, 1929, Crossman married Helen "Hi" Greatsinger (née Farrell) Caldwell (November 23, 1898, Duluth, Minnesota – February 11, 1970, New York, New York) in Manila. Previously, Mrs. Crossman married John Christie Caldwell in 1917. In the 1925, Caldwell died in a hotel fire.[16] Helen Crossman was the daughter of Dr. Patricinne Joseph Hosie Farrell and Edna Claire (née Greatsinger) Farrell ofWinnetka, Illinois.[17]
The Crossmans had three sons. Namely: Edgar Orrin Crossman II (March 14, 1930, New York, New York - November 26, 2008, New York, New York),[18] Patrick Farrell Crossman (September 23, 1931, New York, New York -) of New York and Norfolk, Connecticut, and John Gibson Crossman (May 5, 1936, New York, New York -) ofBonita, California.[19]
The Crossmans were active participants in New York society and maintained an apartment in New York and a farm inGoshen, Connecticut. Crossman's clubs included: the Anglers', theCentury Association,Knickerbocker Club,Yale Club of New York City in New York, the Sanctum Club inLitchfield, Connecticut, the Hollenbeck Club in Canaan, Connecticut, the Amabalish Fish and Game Club,Lac Saint-Jean,Quebec, and Mrs. Crossman was a member of theColony Club in New York. Together they were members of the Litchfield Country Club, Litchfield, Connecticut.
Crossman was a past president of the board of trustees ofSt. Bernard's School in New York, New York.[13]
After Christmas in 1966, Crossman suffered a stroke and died of a heart attack in St. Luke's Hospital, New York, New York, on January 28, 1967. His funeral was held in theMadison Avenue Presbyterian Church, at 73rd Street. Edgar and Helen Crossman are buried inArlington National Cemetery in Section 3, Site 8976-B.[20]
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| Insignia | Rank | Dates |
|---|---|---|
 | Second Lieutenant | August 15, 1917[21] |
 | First Lieutenant | October 26, 1917[21] |
 | Lieutenant Colonel | June 28, 1944[21] |
| Colonel | July 27, 1945[21] |
Crossman was awarded the following:[22][23][24][25][26][27][28]
 | ||
 |  |   |
 |  |  |
| 1st Row | Legion of Merit | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Row | Mexican Border Service Medal | World War I Victory Medal | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 3 bronze stars |
| 3rd Row | World War II Victory Medal | Distinguished Service Star | Philippines Liberation Medal w/ 2 bronze stars |
