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Robert Crathorne
From 1940 to 1943, Bob Crathorne had been a popular attorney in National Life’s Law Department before leaving to accept a direct commission in the Navy. Chief Counsel, Deane Davis was so impressed with Crathorne that he agreed to use his influence to help obtain a direct commission in the Navy for Crathorne. Davis also fully anticipated that Crathorne would return to National Life’s Law Department at the end of the war.

On July 10, 1943, Crathorne instead lost his life at 4:58 AM when a single German bomber dropped four, 250 pound bombs on the American destroyer, U.S.S. Maddox. Within a mere 90 seconds, the entire ship, with Crathorne at his battle station, disappeared into the depths of the Mediterranean taking a total of 210 men and leaving only 68 survivors.