Publish Date 
Written by Richard Crabbs was born on 4 December 1906. He served as a Second Lieutenant, Air Corps Reserve, United States Army. He was a pilot in the 17th Pursuit Squadron. Lieutenant Crabbs was killed in a take-off accident at Cram Field, Iowa, on 15 May 1932. He was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.
United States Army Report: Second Lieutenant Richard Crabbs, Air-Reserve, 17th Squadron, killed in crash of P-6E airplane at Davenport, Iowa, while on aviation training flight.
Curtis Hawk #50 After Crash. The pilot, Lieutenant Richard Crabbs, was killed on take-off on 15 May 1932. The crash took place at Cram Field, Davenport, Iowa.
ARMY FLIER DIES IN IOWA
ROCK ISLAND, Illinois, May 15, 1932 – While his aunt and uncle stood among a crowd of spectators waving and cheering this afternoon, Lieutenant Richard Crabbs, aged 25, of the Army Aviation Corps, stationed at Selfridge Field, Michigan, crashed to his death at Cram Field, Davenport, Iowa.
He had just completed a stune program of loops, steep banks and ten consecutive barrel rolls at a speed of 200 miler per hour. Suddenly his plane went into a tail spin and whirled 1,100 feet to the ground.
Lieutenant Crabbs was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Crabbs now staying at Orlando, Florida. His father had been consulting engineer of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company of New York for many years. The aviator had been visiting his Davenport relatives.
CRABBS, RICHARD
- 2ND LT AIR RESERVE US ARMY
- VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
- DATE OF DEATH: 05/15/1932
- DATE OF INTERMENT: 05/19/1932
- BURIED AT: SECTION SOUTH SITE 4177-F N
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard