Tomball has lost yet another of its young men to the War on Terror.

Last week the Pentagon announced that 21-year-old United States Marine Cpl. Jeffery W. Johnson of Tomball was killed May 11 in Helmand province in Afghanistan.

 According to the Department of Defense, Johnson was “supporting combat operations” when he was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) while on a dismounted patrol.

Also killed was Marine Sgt. Kenneth B. May, 26, of Kilgore.

Johnson and May were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Johnson served as an Anti-tank Assault Guided Missileman after enlisting in the Marine Corps July 23, 2007. This was his second deployment.

His personal service awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

“The Marines and sailors of the 1st Marine Division mourn the loss of Cpl. Johnson. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family,” the Marines stated in a press release last week.

Johnson graduated from Waller High School in 2007. According to Waller ISD Public Relations Director Marianne Kosik, Johnson enrolled in Waller Junior High his seventh grade year after his family moved from North Carolina.

“Jeffrey’s death reminds us all that life can be brief and of the importance to live our lives to the fullest each day,” Waller ISD Superintendent Richard McReavy said. “Our deepest condolences go to Jeffrey’s wife, Katy Anguish, his family, friends and the entire Waller ISD community during this difficult time.”

McReavy added that, at press time last week, Johnson’s family was at Dover Air Force base in Maryland and funeral arrangements would be made upon their return. 

Johnson is the second Marine from Tomball to perish in Helman province in Afghanistan within the past four months. On Jan. 11, Cpl. Nicholas Uzenski was killed during a firefight with militants.

According to the Pentagon’s records as of May 13, 1,056 have been killed in Operation Enduring Freedom, while 4,401 have died in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Overall, 5, 457 members of the United States armed forces have died in the Middle East since the launch of the War on Terror.

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