Private First Class Crawford was a member of Company H, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action while defending Hills 111 and 126 in the "Bolder City Area", North Korea, on 26 July 1953.

For his leadership and valor, Private First Class Crawford was awarded the Silver Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.