Frank J. “Bud” Crowne – Major, United States Army

From a contemporary press report:

Frank J. “Bud” Crowne, 76, who served in the Army for 20 years and later was a management analyst with the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, died of kidney failure August 17, 1998 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He lived in Annapolis.

Mr. Crowne served as an armored division captain in Europe during World War II, and participated in the invasion of Normandy. He also served in Korea during the Korean War. His honors included a Silver Star and Bronze Medal.

He taught military science at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Princeton and Cornell universities and was assigned to the American embassy in Brussels. He retired from the Pentagon in 1961, with the rank of master sergeant, as a noncommissioned officer chief administrator with Army intelligence. In retirement, he was a major with the Army reserve.

After leaving the Army, he was a management analyst with the Agriculture Department. He retired from the bank board in 1983. He also founded Bowieland Inc., which developed a service center of rental and repair shops in Bowie.

Mr. Crowne wrote a tourist guide to Europe that was published privately.

His marriage to Alice Marshall ended in divorce.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara Meisnere Crowne of Annapolis; six children from his first marriage, Frank Crowne of Laurel, Jim Crowne of Bowie, Jeff Crowne of London, Kathy Kuhn of Sterling, Shari Corley of Chester, Md., and Greg Crowne of Manassas; four stepchildren, Steve Meisnere of Bowie, Robert Meisnere of Washington, Jeff Meisnere of Knightdale, N.C., and Karen Nast of Dallas, Pa.; a brother, a sister; and 14 grandchildren.

CROWNE, FRANK J., MAJOR USA (Ret.)

On August 17, 1998 of Annapolis, MD, formerly of Bowie, MD. Beloved husband of Barbara Crowne; father of Frank J. Crowne Jr., Jim Crowne, Jeff Crowne, Kathy Kuhn, Shari Corley and Greg Crowne; stepfather of Steve Meisnere, Karen Nast, Robert Meisnere and Jeff Meisnere. Grandfather of 14; brother of Ed Crown of Northfield, NJ and Helen Farr of Bel Air, MD. Services will be held on Monday, August 31, 1998 at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 14720 Annapolis Rd., Bowie, MD. at 11 a.m. Interment Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. In Memory of Frank J. Crowne, memorial contributions may be made to Project Excellence, an inner city educational fund, 3251-C Sutton Pl., NW, Washington, DC 20016.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard