Daniel J. Crowley, Sergeant Major, USMC (Ret.), 81, died March 29 at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough from a brain tumor (glioblastoma).
He was born Nov. 14, 1928, in Clifton Park, N.Y., a son of Saima (Luoma) Crowley and Daniel J. Crowley. He and his mother soon moved to Maynard, Mass. While his mother worked as a cook to support them, Dan lived with the Jarvinen family, where he learned to speak Finnish before he spoke English.
His mother married John R. Cannon, and they settled in Billerica, Mass., where Dan was raised and attended school. Dan joined the Massachusetts State Guard the next year, and then successfully enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps from Boston before his 17th birthday. While stationed in Washington, D.C., he met his future wife, Kathryn McLoon of Damariscotta, who worked at the Pentagon.
A veteran of WWII and combat veteran of Korea and Vietnam, overseas stations included Japan, China, Okinawa, Cuba, Korea, Vietnam, and Puerto Rico. Stateside duty included three tours of Inspector-Instructor Staff assignments at Rochester and Syracuse, N.Y. and Portland. Service in North China included “Train Guard” duty with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, and duty with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines and the 1st Engineer Battalion. He saw service as a noncommissioned officer in leadership and instructor billets throughout the Marine Corps. He served as NCOIC of Weapons Section, 1st Infantry Training Regiment and as Senior Instructor of Demolition, Minewarfare and Booby Trap School of the Marine Corps Engineer Schools. As a Gunnery Sergeant he was an advisor with Special Operations Group for one tour in Vietnam, and later, after being promoted to that rank, he served tours as First Sergeant of Charlie Co., 1st Battalion, 27th Marines and of “Suicide Charley,” 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. In addition he served as the Sergeant Major of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines in Okinawa, the Philippines and off Cambodia.
After 30 years, he retired in 1975 while serving as the Regimental Sergeant Major of the 2nd Force Service Regiment, Force Troops, FMFLANT, Camp Lejeune, N.C. His personal decorations include two awards of the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V,” the Purple Heart Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Republic of Vietnam’s Cross of Gallantry and the Civic Action Honor Medal and the Republic of China’s The China War Memorial Medal.
He and his family moved back to Maine, settling in Westbrook. He graduated in 1977 from the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham, with a baccalaureate in communications. Dan was an active member of the Elks Lodge 188, Portland, and a member of Wells Hussey American Legion Post 42, Damariscotta. Extremely proud of his Irish heritage, Dan joined the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Div. I, Portland, and enjoyed the camaraderie of his Irish friends as they worked to preserve the history, traditions, culture, and faith of Ireland. Dan continued to stay in touch with many of those he served with in the U.S. Marine Corps and attended “Suicide Charley” reunions across the country. He also enjoyed monthly luncheon meetings with his fellow retired and former Marines. He was a loyal parishioner of St. Dominic’s Catholic Church in Portland until it closed its doors in 1997.
Dan was a huge fan of the Boston Braves and Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, and Celtics, and loved spending time with his family and friends, whether at hunting camp in Cherryfield or on Pemaquid Lake in Damariscotta. He was a “people person,” always making friends wherever he went. He had a wicked sense of humor, remaining a joker even through his illness. Even though he was allergic to cats and dogs, Dan always continued to have them as part of the family. He would often occupy a bench at the Maine Mall doing his cryptograms while Kathryn shopped the day away. Dan made the best blueberry pancakes.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Kathryn of Westbrook; brother and sister-in-law, John and Martha Cannon of Rochester, N.H.; sons, Daniel J. Crowley of Westbrook and Timothy Crowley of Thule AFB, Greenland; daughter and son-in-law, Sheila Crowley and Michael Clements of Augusta and their children, Nicholas and Matthew Clements; sisters-in-law, Clara Horie of Atlanta, Ga. and Ruth House of Damariscotta; several beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnephews, grandnieces; and many, many friends, and the Clan Mosley.
Visiting hours 6-8 p.m., Tues., April 6 at Blais and Hay Funeral Home, 35 Church St., Westbrook. Funeral service 10 a.m., Wed., April 7 at the funeral home. Burial 11 a.m., Thurs., April 8 at Bethlehem Cemetery, Damariscotta.
Donations in Dan’s memory may be made to the Animal Refuge League, P.O. Box 336, Westbrook, ME 04098-0336.
