When Sydney L. Crowley was born on July 18, 1895, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, his father, William, was 28 and his mother, Katherine, was 26. He had four sisters. He worked for the engineering dept of Western Electric before enlisting. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I as a Second Lieutenant in Company H, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. He was wounded at the battle of Cantigny and returned after six weeks to his company. He then fought in the Soissons and St Mihiel Offensives and was leading his platoon in an attack when he was severely injured. He died on October 7, 1918 in Base Hospital Angers, France and is now buried in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, Departement de la Meuse, Lorraine, France.