William Crozier (artillerist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Crozier
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General William Crozier became Chief of Ordnance of the Army in 1901
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| Born | February 19, 1855 Carrollton, Ohio, US |
| Died | November 10, 1942 (aged 87) Washington, D.C., US |
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| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1876–1918 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Service number | 0-12991 |
| Commands held | 11th Chief of Ordnance (1901-1917) United States Army War College |
| Battles/wars | Indian Wars Spanish–American War Philippine–American War China Relief Expedition |
| Relations | Robert Crozier (father) |
William Crozier (February 19, 1855 – November 11, 1942) was an important officer in the United States Army. He worked in the United States Army Ordnance Corps, which is the part of the army that deals with weapons and ammunition. He became the 11th Chief of Ordnance, a very high position, in 1901.
Contents
Early Life and Education
William Crozier was born in Carrollton, Ohio, on February 19, 1855. His father, Robert Crozier, was a well-known lawyer who served as the Chief Justice of Kansas and later as a U.S. Senator.
William Crozier married Mary Hoyt Williams in England in 1913. She was the sister of William C. Williams, who was in charge of Ellis Island, a famous entry point for immigrants. William Crozier and his wife are buried together at Arlington National Cemetery.
In 1876, Crozier graduated from the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. This is a famous school for training army officers. After graduating, he became a second lieutenant in the 4th Artillery. For three years, he served on the Western frontier, helping to keep peace with Native American tribes like the Sioux and Bannock.
Military Career Highlights
From 1879 to 1884, Crozier returned to West Point as a mathematics instructor. After that, he was in charge of the Watertown Arsenal, a place where military weapons and equipment were made.
In 1888, the War Department sent him to Europe. His mission was to learn about the newest developments in artillery, which are large guns used in warfare. When he came back, he was put in charge of building gun carriages for the army. These carriages help move and aim large guns.
Crozier, along with General Adelbert Rinaldo Buffington, invented a special type of gun carriage called the Buffington–Crozier disappearing gun carriage in 1893. This design allowed large guns to drop out of sight after firing, protecting them from enemy fire. He also invented a "wire-wound gun" and improved many other parts of heavy and field artillery.
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In 1890, Crozier was promoted to captain. During the Spanish–American War, he worked as an inspector-general. His job was to check the defenses along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States.
In 1899, he was chosen as one of the American representatives for the Peace Conference held in the Hague. This was an important meeting where countries discussed ways to prevent wars and set rules for warfare.
Later, he served in the Philippines and was also part of the China Relief Expedition in 1900. During these times, he worked on the staffs of important generals.
Leading the Ordnance Corps
In November 1901, William Crozier was promoted to brigadier general. He became the Chief of Ordnance of the United States Army, taking over from General Buffington. He held this important position until 1918. For a short time in 1912 and 1913, he was also the head of the United States Army War College.
During World War I, Crozier was responsible for providing all the weapons and ammunition for the American army. This was a huge task, especially after the American entry into World War I in April 1917. In December 1917, he became a member of the Supreme War Council, a group that helped coordinate the war efforts of the Allied nations. He spent the first half of 1918 in France and Italy for this role.
As Chief of Ordnance, Crozier oversaw the adoption of several famous firearms. These included the M1911 pistol, the M1903 rifle, the M1918 BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), and the M1917 machine gun. Many of these weapons were used by the U.S. military for many years. He also approved the donation or sale of old cannons to towns and veteran groups.
Crozier was promoted to major general in July 1918. He officially retired from the Army on January 1, 1919.
The Gantt Chart's Impact
In 1917, William Crozier saw how a man named Henry Gantt was improving factory production. Crozier then hired Gantt to help the Ordnance Department. This was especially important after the U.S. entered World War I.
The army needed to produce millions of weapons and supplies very quickly. It was hard to keep track of all the orders and see how much progress was being made. Gantt created a special chart to help with this. This chart, now known as the Gantt Progress Chart, showed how much work was planned and how much was actually completed. It helped people see if they were on schedule and who was responsible for each task.
Crozier quickly understood how useful these charts were. He made sure they were used in different parts of the Ordnance Department. During 1918, Gantt charts were used in U.S. arsenals and other government projects. They helped make sure that important military supplies were produced on time.
Legacy and Memorials
William Crozier passed away in 1942 at the age of 87. In his will, he left a valuable collection of antique crystal, porcelain, and china to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This collection is known as "The Crozier Collection."
His wife, Mary Hoyt Crozier, also left a large sum of money to West Point after her death in 1955. She wanted the money to be used to build a memorial hall. However, the chosen building site was not approved by West Point. Because of this, the money was instead given to another school, Connecticut College.
See also
- Lodge Committee
- List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces
- List of crew-served weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces
