FIRST ARKANSAN KILLED IN WAR

Associated Press | March 27, 2003

[HAL9000]

The parents of 25 year-old Navy Medic Michael Vann Johnson Junior said they learned from Johnson's wife, Cherice Johnson, in San Diego today that he was killed in action Tuesday. His sister Janisa Hooks says he was tending to wounded soldiers when shrapnel from a grenade hit him in the head.

Johnson's father, Michael Johnson, said his son was serving as a corpsman in the Third Battalion of the Fifth Marine Expeditionary Force.

Hooks says that "he did it for us, so we can walk around the United States and be free. He made peace with God and himself before he went over."

They were not told where in the region he was killed.

His mother, Jana Norfleet, said she had recently received a letter from her son saying that he was going to be OK.

She said he wrote that "God had twisted a guardian angel around him."

Johnson was stationed with the Navy in San Diego, California.

He was born and raised in Little Rock, and graduated from Parkview High School. He earned his degree from the University of Central Arkansas.

The younger Johnson and his wife had no children.

His parents said they were told his body would be returned first to California, where his wife is, and then brought to Arkansas for burial.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[HAL9000]

It's a sad day for Arkansas. We salute Navy Medic Michael Johnson for his courage and sacrifice to keep our nation safe and free.

[OneVike]

My prayers are with his family, may the Lord watch over them and confort them in their loss. I shed a tear as I think of the sacrifice that was given for my freedom, and those I shall never meet.

[JeeperFreeper]

As a former Marine, all I can say is " God Bless Our Docs".

[lilylangtree]

I am sorry for his family's loss. I know it hurts to lose a loved one.

[sneakers]

Deepest, deepest condolences for his wife, parents and siblings. Prayers going out for them.

[Cate]

There has to be a special place in heaven for this young man. He died helping to save others.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Third Battalion of the Fifth Marine Expeditionary Force.

There is no Fifth Marine Expeditionary Force. Probably means Third Battalion Fifth Marine Regiment which is an element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force.

[AngrySpud]

Corpsmen have relatively high casualty rates. They usually don't wait for the shooting to die down before tending to fallen Marines, and are often in an exposed position when doing so.

Didn't know him, but I knew a thousand just like him.

[HanneyBean]

I can't imagine how the family must feel, but I'd like to hope that after the deepest grief and anger subside to a dull throb, they'll cherish the fact that their loved one died defending them, their country and the cause of freedom.
Prayers to this serviceman and all who fight and all who die for me and mine. I will not forget.

[genefromjersey]

God bless the Navy Corpsmen : bravest of the brave !

[Ligeia]

There's a brief mention of a medic's death in this embedded report

Marines pull feint, lure enemy into trap

"The earlier Iraqi ambushes that had begun Tuesday afternoon, resulted in minimum Marine casualties. One person killed was a Navy medic, who died from mortar fire as he tended a wounded comrade."

R.I.P.