Inez Crittenden

Inez Ann Murphy was born in California, the daughter of T. P. Murphy and Emily Murphy.^[1] She was originally from San Francisco.^[2]

Inez Crittenden worked as a telephone operator in California at age fourteen. She later worked as a secretary to the president of the California Packing Corporation in San Francisco.^[3] She was among the first women to join the United States Signal Corps, where her fluent French skills were in demand during World War I.^[4] In January 1918, she became Chief Operator, Second American Unit of Telephone Operators, in charge of hundreds of American women who worked as interpreters in war-related telephone communications.^[5] She and her unit sailed for France in March 1918.^[6] "We were among the first girls to go across, and arrangements were very sketchy in those days," recalled a unit member.^[7] Crittenden was soon transferred to work for the public relations bureau at the American Embassy in Paris.^[8]

Inez Murphy married Nathaniel P. Crittenden of the Crittenden family of Oakland in 1911; they divorced in 1917.^[9][10] She was living with her mother at the time of her appointment to the U. S. Telephone Corps.^[8] Inez Crittenden died in Paris on Armistice Day in 1918 from pneumonia, a complication of influenza. She was 31 years old. Her grave^[11] is in the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial in Suresnes, France.^[12] She was given a military funeral, which was unusual for a civilian telephone operator.^[8]

Crittenden's ex-husband was wounded in France during the war; his family told newspapers that the two planned to be reunited after the war. Emily Murphy denied these reports.^[13]