Uniontown honors four veterans during Memorial Day observance

Four veterans with deep ties to the Uniontown area were honored during the community's recent Memorial Day observance at the All Veterans Memorial in Uniontown Community Park.

The ceremony recognized retired Army Maj. Larry C. Shubat, Army Lt. Col. Ryan C. Shubat, Army National Guard Sgt. James Earl Legg and Army Special Forces Sgt. 1st Class Daniel B. Crabtree for their service to the nation and their contributions to their communities.

Larry Shubat, an Eagle Scout and 1971 graduate of Live Oak High School in California, earned a geology degree from the University of California, Davis, before joining the Army through the ROTC program. Commissioned in 1977, he completed the Engineer Officer Basic Course, Ranger School and Special Forces School. During a 20-year military career, he served with the 39th Engineer Battalion and the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), holding leadership positions including platoon leader, battalion intelligence officer and Special Forces A-Team commander. He later earned a master's degree in geodetic science from The Ohio State University and served as group engineer and commander of the Group Support Company for the 10th Special Forces Group. In 1991, he deployed to southern Turkey in support of Operation Provide Comfort, assisting Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq. After retiring from the Army in 1997, he spent 20 years teaching in the Surveying and Mapping Technology program at The University of Akron.

Continuing a family tradition of military service, Ryan Shubat graduated from Lake High School in 2000 and earned degrees from the University of Akron and Fayetteville State University. He served in the Ohio National Guard before being commissioned into the Army Medical Service Corps in 2005. During his career, he deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and later deployed to Afghanistan with the 1st Special Forces Group as part of Operation Resolute Support. He went on to serve with the 18th Medical Command in Hawaii and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 2022. His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Army Commendation Medal. He currently serves with the Defense Health Agency in Falls Church, Virginia.

James Earl Legg was born in Akron and moved to Uniontown with his family before graduating from Hoover Vocational High School. Following the death of his father, he joined the Army National Guard so he could remain close to home to help support his mother and younger siblings. Serving with Support Company, 1st Battalion, 145th Infantry, he attained the rank of sergeant and completed training that included chemical warfare instruction. During his six years of service, he responded to civil disturbances and participated in regular training exercises before receiving an honorable discharge in 1973. Legg later worked at Firestone Tire and Rubber and Graphic Arts Rubber and was remembered by family members as a devoted husband, father, grandfather and community-minded individual who was always willing to help others. He died May 7, 2014.

The ceremony also honored Sgt. 1st Class Daniel B. Crabtree, a 1993 Lake High School graduate who served as a Green Beret in the U.S. Army Special Forces. Crabtree enlisted at age 17 and participated in numerous special operations missions during his military career. His awards included the Army Achievement Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Humanitarian Service Medal. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge. In addition to his military service, Crabtree served as a police officer in Hartville and Cuyahoga Falls and was a member of the Cuyahoga Falls SWAT team. He was killed June 8, 2006, by a roadside bomb in Iraq while carrying out a mission. He is survived by his wife, Kathy, and daughter, Mallory.

The annual observance paid tribute to the service, sacrifice and dedication of the four honorees, whose military careers spanned generations and reflected a shared commitment to serving both country and community.