[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 36 (Thursday, March 10, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H1672]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING LANCE CORPORAL RAYMON JOHNSON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I come before the House this morning 
with great sorrow but also with great honor to celebrate the life of 
Lance Corporal Raymon Johnson, who answered his Nation's call of duty 
in 2007 after graduating from Shaw High School in 2006. On October 13, 
2010, he made the ultimate sacrifice while serving his country and 
protecting his country and fellow servicemen abroad. He was killed 
while conducting combat operations in the Helmand Province of 
Afghanistan.
  Lance Corporal Johnson was deployed to Afghanistan as part of the 1st 
Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division out of Camp 
Lejeune, North Carolina. He leaves behind his mother, Gwendolyn; his 
father, Gregory; a sister, LaQuita; and a brother, Ramon, who serves in 
the Georgia National Guard. He also leaves behind a nephew, Andre.
  Raymon desired to become a United States Marine from an early age. 
Family members recall Raymon spending hours playing military video 
games and watching the military channel when he was a teenager. Raymon 
began training to enter the service even before he graduated from high 
school, and he passed up recruitment offers from the Navy, the Army, 
and the Air Force to join the Marines. Many family members were 
apprehensive about Raymon joining the Marines, but he felt it was his 
duty to serve. He told his family: Don't try to worry about me much, 
I'm glad I'm doing what I always wanted to do.
  Friends and family members who recalled Raymon remember a young man 
who was not only driven to serve his country, but also someone who was 
caring, compassionate, and filled with integrity. At his funeral, a 
teary-eyed Ramon Johnson, his twin brother, remembered the good times 
he and his brother had baking cakes with their grandmother. His uncle, 
a reverend and former Marine, said Raymon wanted to fight for a cause.
  Like all men and women in the armed services, Lance Corporal Johnson 
wanted to serve his country bravely, and he did. He took satisfaction 
in his job every day because he knew his work touched so many millions 
of people. He was encouraged every day because he truly felt the 
Afghani people appreciated what the U.S. military is doing.

                              {time}  1030

  He desired to build a school for the Afghani children once the 
Taliban had been driven out.
  No words can express the loss of Lance Corporal Johnson's family and 
how they feel. And I'm proud to salute such a fine young son, brother, 
uncle, and friend.
  The young men and women of our armed services continue to make great 
sacrifices every day for the Nation that they love and a Nation that 
will never forget to remember the debt that they have paid.
  Thank you, Raymon Johnson.

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