Dan was born in 1974 in Hartville, OH. Dan was always interested in guns and anything military. During his elementary school years, he would put on a pair of my fatigue uniform pants, roll up the legs, fold over the waist, then hold them up with a belt or a piece of rope. He took his toy guns (later BB guns) and went into the woods near his home to play war with his buddies. Dan especially enjoyed the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and what it taught him about nature and outdoor survival. At the age of 17, he wanted to go into the Army Reserves via their Early Enlistment Program. His father, Ron Crabtree, signed the parental consent form and off he went to Fort Leonard Wood for Basic Training in the summer during his junior and senior years of high school. When he returned, he was assigned to a Reserve Unit while completing his senior year. Dan loved animals and, in his true Army fashion, named his two dogs "Ranger" and "Recon". He graduated from Lake High School in 1993. Dan lived his life working on a personal goal and always had another goal set before completing the present goal. Ron relays one example of this ethos: "While in Basic Training, and about two weeks prior to completing the course, he wrote in a letter to me that he saw no reason he could not 'go on to Airborne School.'" After High School, he finished his Associate Degree in Criminal Justice and then went on to complete the Police Academy, both at the University of Akron. Dan was hired as a part-time Police Officer at the Hartville Police Department. However, Dan had to wait a few weeks to start because he had to be 21 years old to legally carry a weapon. The rest is history. After over a year with Hartville, he was hired by the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, as a full-time Police Officer. In his nine years with that department, he joined the SWAT Team and their Honor. He also became one of the unit's best snipers. After initially entering military service with the Army Reserve in 1992, Dan joined the Army National Guard in 1993 as an administrative specialist. He later retrained as a military policeman and served with the 135th Military Police Company in Brook Park, Ohio. He joined the 19th Special Forces Group in March 2002, and in 2003 he was selected to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, N.C. He earned the coveted Green Beret when he graduated from the course in May 2004. Dan came from a strong family. His passing has affected many people inside and outside of his family. A friend from high school, Amanda (Clark) Blake, left this message for him upon hearing of his passing: "I had the privilege of knowing Dan in high. Dan always had a smile on his face and was a friend to many people. It takes special people like Dan to protect and serve our great country." On June 8th, Sgt. 1st Class Daniel B. Crabtree was critically injured in his armored Humvee when an improvised explosive device struck the vehicle near Al Kut, in east-central Iraq. He was evacuated by air after the attack and died en route to a combat support hospital in Baghdad. He was 31. Crabtree is survived by his wife, Kathy, and his daughter, Mallory, of the City of Green. He is also survived by his father, Ronald Crabtree and his mother, Judy Ann Crabtree.
Ron Crabtree, Dan's father - "Our Lord Jesus Christ must have had a "special mission" for Dan in heaven and called him home, even though he was only 31 years old. His wife Kathy, his daughter Mallory, Kathy's parents (Paul & Marilyn Williams), his mother Judy, his brother Bill, his sister Debbie, and I, along with his aunts and uncles and other family members and a very large number of friends, will miss Dan more than can me described. Even though he could be very tough, he had a very loving, caring and giving personality." Judy Crabtree, Dan's mother - "I last saw Danny in December just before he left. He called me into a room to give me the "big talk" about what the future might bring. He told me that he was prepared for the fact he might not make it back. He gave me instructions about how I was to conduct the rest of my life without him. No crying, no fuss, go on with my life, etc. Everyone who knows Dan knows he was good at giving instructions. I asked him why he rejoined the military when he was safely out. He said, "Mom, who will do this if I don't? I can't let Mallory grow up in a world where we have to fear terrorism." Because Danny was so dedicated to the cause of freedom, he inspired our family and friends to send items to Iraq. Dan never asked for anything for himself. He asked for baseball caps to give to the men he was training for the Iraqi police force. Of course, he did not just give the hats out. They had to earn them and were quite coveted. We sent candy and toys for the children. Dan once visited a nearby village. The people were very poor. Because he watched the children playing soccer with a partially deflated ball, he asked our family if we could send some new soccer balls and cones. My life is forever changed by the loss of my beautiful boy. God blessed me with an awesome daughter-in-law, Kathy." Monica Crabtree, Dan's niece - "All my life you were tough on me. You would lecture me and what not, and I would get so angry. I can remember you telling me over and over again "just make the right choices". Now I am 17, and I know exactly why you pushed me to the extent that you did. I know that it is important for me to earn a high[er] education and to do what I have to do to be successful in life. And I will become successful, not just to benefit myself, but to do it for you. I miss you so much unkle[sic] Danny. I miss you so much that my heart hurts when I begin to think of you and your passing. However I realize that God needed your strong soul in heaven. I miss you and I love you, you are my guardian angel." Jason Blankenship, Dan's friend - "I'll never forget Dan Crabtree as long as I live. He was my greatest friend. Dan was a true friend and he always tried to give me the best advice! It's so hard for me to believe that he will not be there for me to talk to, and joke with. My heart is very saddened. What Dan done for all of us is incredible! He paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Dan died a hero. Being a soldier was in his blood. It was what he wanted and sometimes we might think of Dan as being selfish to us for leaving us behind. But everyone has a calling and this was Dan's calling. Dan lived his dream. He would say to me: "Private, Someone has to do it." I love Dan and what he did for me...He's probably patrolling the pearly gates right now! I will miss him forever!! I'll see you in Heaven, Sarg!!" Janice Carpenter, Cuyahoga Falls Police Department co-worker - "It was my honor and privilege to have known and worked with. From the time I first met him when he came in for his interviews up to the time when he said goodbye when he was leaving for Iraq, I found him to be such a wonderful, sweet young man, proud to serve, always with a smile. I told him he always brought out the mother in me. Dan was loved and will be terribly missed by those of us in his extended Police Department family. Dan was a true hero."
LINKS TO SFC DANIEL CRABTREE Washington Post: Faces of the Fallen
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