KANSAS CITY, MO, US
U.S. Army
SGT, HQ AND HQ CO, 203RD ENGINEER BN, JOPLIN, MISSOURI
09/03/2010, FOB SHARANA, AFGHANISTAN
Even in grim setting, sergeant could provide comic relief
The Associated Press
Among soldiers with a serious mission, Sergeant Robert Crow Jr. knew how to make colleagues grin. “He was the comic relief of everything,” said Michelle Pippin, whose husband worked with Crow.
Crow, 42, died July 10 at Forward Operating Base Sharana, Afghanistan, after his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Paktika. He was assigned to the 203rd Engineer Battalion in Joplin, Missouri, and had previously been deployed to Iraq. The job of his unit was clearing improvised explosive devices from roadways. The soldiers are commonly called sappers.
From Guard headquarters Major Tammy Spicer said The Iraq War veteran had volunteered to drive a specialized device unknown in the civilian world, actually the vehicle that goes out and looks for mines because, “that’s where Sergeant Crow felt he was in best position to protect his fellow service members, his platoon. So this is literally a hero who put himself in harm’s way every day.” Spicer’s adds, “unfortunately, the enemy won this one.”
The battalion’s commander, Lt. Col Anthony Adrian, said those who knew Crow loved him.
“He loved being a Husky operator – he took this self-imposed responsibility very seriously,” Adrian said.
He worked for Missouri Gas Energy and had been employed by Heartland Midwest.
Crow leaves behind his wife Beverly, six children, 13 grandchildren, his father, brother and sister. The family in keeping Sergeant Crow’s memory alive and to honor him, has named his 13th grandchild Nevaeh – heaven spelled backward.
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