Private First Class Crown was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. During the night of 24 March 1953 near Chobak-Kol, North Korea, his unit was under intense hand-to-hand combat with Chinese forces. As his unit was low on ammunition, he exposed himself to deliver it to his comrades. Although wounded, he continued until he was mortally wounded.

For his leadership and valor, Private First Class Crown was awarded the Silver Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, 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.