Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Fowlkes

Died September 10, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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20, of Gaffney, S.C.; assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Sept. 10 from wounds sustained Sept. 3 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

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Gaffney Marine dies from Afghanistan injuries

The Associated Press

COLUMBIA — A 20-year-old Marine from South Carolina has been killed while serving in Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense said Friday that Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Fowlkes died Thursday.

WYFF-TV reports that Fowlkes died at a military hospital in Germany, where he had been recuperating from injuries from an explosion earlier in the week. Family friend LeighAnn Turner told the station Fowlkes' parents had flown to Germany after their son was injured Sept. 3 in Helmand province.

Fowlkes was from Gaffney. He was assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Turner said Fowlkes was a graduate of Gaffney High School.

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Wanted to send friend off to boot camp

The Associated Press

Christopher Fowlkes had just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, but it wasn’t too much to drive six hours so he could send off his buddy to Marine boot camp.

“His heart was just huge,” said friend Cameron Snuggs. “He was my brother.”

Snuggs said Fowlkes always wore his uniform with pride — whether it was a Little League jersey, his Gaffney Indians high school uniform, Marine dress blues or camouflage.

“No one wore that Gaffney High School uniform like Chris did,” Snuggs said.

Fowlkes, 20, of Gaffney, S.C., died Sept. 10 at a U.S. military hospital in Germany. He had been seriously wounded a week earlier in Helmand province, Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive detonated. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Rev. David Kite eulogized Fowlkes at his funeral.

“He gave laughter in situations that were really difficult to find humor,” Kite said.

“He gave friendship to those who needed a friend.”

Jessica LeMaster, who attended high school with Fowlkes, said it was clear in high school that he wanted to be a Marine. The two shared a love for University of Tennessee sports — and LeMaster said she had borrowed a pair of basketball shorts from him some time ago.

Now, she’ll keep them as something by which to remember him.