Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel J. Santee
Death: Apr 14, 2007
of Mission Viejo Calif.; assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 27 2nd Marine Logistics Group II Marine Expeditionary Force Camp Lejeune N.C .; Died April 14 in Anbar province Iraq in a nonhostile vehicle accident. Southern California Marine killed in Iraq The Associated Press MISSION VIEJO Calif. — Daniel J. Santee decided to join the Marines after attending the funeral of a family friend killed two years ago by a sniper in Iraq. The friend Jeffrey Starr had long been an inspiration to Santee. “They were like-minded spirits” said Santee’s mom Cathy. “He wanted to take over where Jeff left off. Everyone asked him to wait and he did but nothing would deter him. His heart was set.” The 21-year-old lance corporal Died April 14 almost in same location as his friend Starr in Iraq’s Al Anbar province his mother said. He was atop a Humvee turret guarding a convoy of fellow Marines when the vehicle swerved to miss a pothole tipped over and crushed him his mother said. Santee who grew up in Mission Viejo and enlisted 10 months ago had been Iraq fewer than seven weeks. He was assigned to the Combat Logistics Regiment 27 2nd Marine Logistics Group II Marine Expeditionary Force Camp Lejeune N.C. Before enlisting Santee dreamed of becoming a firefighter. He took fire science courses at Santa Ana College and interned with Costa Mesa’s Fire Department. His father had been a Costa Mesa police officer. “He was a boy completely full of life” his mother said. “I have never seen him not have a positive attitude about everything including his chance of dying in Iraq. He knew that. He was prepared for that. He loved being a Marine. He told me ‘Mom this is what I was born to do.’ ” In addition to his mother Santee is survived by his father Burton; his brother Nathan 24; and his sister Laura22 Operation Iraqi Freedom