Army Pfc. Markus J. Johnson

Died June 1, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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20, of Springfield, Mass.; assigned to D Battery, 4th Battalion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery, 1st Infantry Division, Kitzingen, Germany; killed June 1 when an Avenger air defense vehicle rolled over in Anbar province, Iraq.

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We Will Never Forget

(The following tribute to Pfc. Markus Johnson was written by a member of his unit ministry team. — Ed.)

By Cpl. Travis Runnels

Battalion Chaplain’s Assistant, 4/3 ADA, 1st Infantry Division

As we finish the final stage of the memorial, we begin to move on and accept what has happened. For most of the Soldiers in 4/3 Air Defense Artillery, this is one of our first experiences with the ultimate price of war, and all too often we forget that things like this can happen. It serves as a reminder of how fragile life is and how we must live every day to the fullest. Now that we have lost one of our brothers, the war turns more personal for us as, unfortunately, we are now forced to reflect on our losses and not just our accomplishments.

Personally, this was my first time dealing with the loss of a Soldier and, I hope, the last. The tremendous outcome and the overwhelming love that was expressed at the memorial showed the type of people soldiers and Americans are. The theater was packed, soldiers came from everywhere imaginable. Whether they knew PFC Marcus Johnson or not, Americans and Soldiers came to pay their respects. It was a simple ceremony designed to help the Soldiers in the unit prepare to move on with the mission and respectfully say good-bye to a dear friend and a fellow Soldier.

It is sad that it often takes an event like this to help us to remember how great being a Soldier really is. The sacrifices we have made as Soldiers bring us together, and it shows the immense love and compassion we share for each other in a time like this. There was not a dry eye in the ceremony, whether you knew him or not. We all came here together, served here together and are supposed to leave here together. There is a never-ending bond that only Soldiers will know; the loss of a brother is never accepted, and will always be honored.

There is something special that happens as you progress through the ranks and “make it,” something special that allows you to consider yourself a Soldier. Many Americans don’t know the joys that come with the sacrifices we make. The pride we all feel is expressed in our own ways; it can never be compared or questioned.

The Soldier that we lost died with honor and dignity and, most of all, the pride of knowing that he died making the ultimate sacrifice for his family, friends, fellow Soldiers and his country. He has moved on to be with God now; he is in a better place. We will always remember those who went all the way and helped to make this country what it is today. Today, we now must remember Private First Class Markus James Johnson and his contributions to his unit, the First Infantry Division, the United States Army, and to his fellow Soldiers. He will never be forgotten.

Rest in peace, Markus James Johnson, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. From one Soldier to another, “Thank you, I will never forget you.”

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Massachusetts soldier killed in Iraq

BOSTON — A soldier from Springfield was killed in a vehicle rollover in Anbar province, Iraq, the Defense Department announced Wednesday.

Pfc. Markus J. Johnson, 20, was killed when an Avenger air defense vehicle, a Humvee equipped with a missile launcher, rolled over. He was assigned to the 3rd Air Defense Artillery, 1st Infantry Division, based in Kitzingen, Germany.

The incident was under investigation, the Army said.

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Mass., whose district includes Springfield, said he was “deeply saddened” to learn of the death.

“No words can adequately express the profound sorrow that I have for the family and friends of this brave young man. At this difficult time, they will be in my thoughts and prayers,” he said in a statement.

A Neal spokesman said the congressman’s office had not received any information about Johnson as of Wednesday evening. Family members could not be immediately located.

Johnson is the second Massachusetts soldier to die in recent days while fighting overseas.

Brian Ouellette, a Navy SEAL from Maynard, died in Afghanistan last week when a mine detonated beneath his Humvee.

— Associated Press

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Fallen soldier honored in museum exhibit

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — On the anniversary of his death, a Springfield man who was killed while serving in Iraq was honored at the unveiling of an exhibit at a city museum.

Pfc. Markus J. Johnson — along with Francis Lynch, a Springfield native killed during World War I — are being remembered in an exhibit at the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum.

The exhibit opened Wednesday with a ceremony for Johnson, who was killed June 1, 2004, when an air defense vehicle he was traveling in rolled over in Iraq’s Anbar province. Johnson was 21 years old and had joined the Army to earn money for college.

“Markus was a young man ... seeking education, seeking a way out of poverty, seeking a way out of the ghetto and the slums, and he grew up fighting his way out,” his 26-year-old brother, Nathan Johnson, said during the ceremony, the Springfield Republican reported Thursday.

Johnson is among at least 26 Massachusetts natives who have died while serving in Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Air Defense Artillery, 1st Infantry Division, based in Kitzingen, Germany.

The exhibit is entitled “In Harm’s Way: Two Soldiers, A Century Apart,” and runs through Oct. 9. It includes Johnson’s Purple Heart and a video of his visit home for the holidays in 2003.

The exhibit also honors Lynch, who joined the Army at age 16 by lying about his age. He was 17 years old when he died a prisoner of war after being wounded in Germany. On display is Lynch’s prayer book.

— Associated Press