Jeremiah Johnson laid to rest

(VANCOUVER, Wash. ) - Army Spc. Jeremiah Johnson, a Prairie High School baseball star from Vancouver, Wash., died Friday in Germany 10 days after suffering critical injuries when a Humvee rolled over into a canal in Baghdad. Jeremiah was born August 18th, 1983, and died January 5th, 2007.

"Bless his heart, we were with him to the end," said Johnson's mother, Elizabeth Johnson of Vancouver, in a telephone call from Germany. "At about 1:52 PM here, our time, Jeremiah passed away." The death came at 3:52 AM AST Friday. He was 23.

Saturday, the Patriot Guard escorted the procession with the Bag Pipe leading the mass of friends and loved ones to the gravesite.

Johnson is the 12th soldier from the 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, who has died since the unit arrived in Iraq in the fall. At least 45 others have been injured.

Soldiers from another Humvee crew pulled Johnson from the water after he was submerged for more than 10 minutes Dec. 26th.

Johnson suffered critical brain damage from being deprived of oxygen but survived to be flown to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where his parents and wife watched over him night and day for more than a week.

Two of Johnson's buddies also were killed when the Humvee crashed during a night patrol with Johnson standing in the turret as the gunner. The other soldiers killed were Johnson's best friend, 21-year old Army Spc. Joseph A. Strong, of Lebanon, Ind., who died en route to the hospital in Germany, and 21-year old Spc. Douglas Logan Tinsley, of Chester, S.C. who died at the scene of the accident.

Army authorities continue to investigate the crash but said they believe no hostile fire was involved.

From the Salem News

Related Link:
Jeremiah Johnson remembered

Related Link:
Jeremiah Johnson succombs to injuries from rollover accident