Frank William Crilley

Frank William Crilley (September 13, 1883 – November 23, 1947) was a United States Navy diver and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Biography

Crilley was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on September 13, 1883. After enlisting in the U.S. Navy in March 1900, he became a gunner's mate and received additional training as a diver. and the Medal of Honor on November 19, 1928, thirteen years after the rescue.

In 1917, Crilley was appointed to the warrant officer rank of Gunner(T), and in February 1918 became an ensign in the Naval Reserve. He commanded in 1919 and left active duty in July of that year. In the mid-1920s, he was involved with salvaging , and returned to active naval service in 1927-28 to work on the recovery of . He was awarded the Navy's second-highest decoration, the Navy Cross, for his actions as a diver during that operation.

Medal of Honor citation alt=A light blue neck ribbon with a gold star shaped medallion hanging from it. The ribbon is similar in shape to a bowtie with 13 white stars in the center of the ribbon. Citation:

For display of extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession above and beyond the call of duty during the diving operations in connection with the sinking in a depth of water 304 feet, of the U.S.S. F-4 with all on board, as a result of loss of depth control, which occurred off Honolulu, T.H., on 25 March 1915. On 17 April 1915, William F. Loughman, chief gunner's mate, U.S. Navy, who had descended to the wreck and had examined one of the wire hawsers attached to it, upon starting his ascent, and when at a depth of 250 feet beneath the surface of the water, had his lifeline and air hose so badly fouled by this hawser that he was unable to free himself; he could neither ascend nor descend. On account of the length of time that Loughman had already been subjected to the great pressure due to the depth of water, and of the uncertainty of the additional time he would have to be subjected to this pressure before he could be brought to the surface, it was imperative that steps be taken at once to clear him. Instantly, realizing the desperate case of his comrade, Crilley volunteered to go to his aid, immediately donned a diving suit and descended. After a lapse of time of 2 hours and 11 minutes, Crilley was brought to the surface, having by a superb exhibition of skill, coolness, endurance and fortitude, untangled the snarl of lines and cleared his imperiled comrade, so that he was brought, still alive, to the surface.