Marine Lance Cpl. Jonathan A. Taylor
Death: Dec 01, 2009
of Jacksonville Fla.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion 2nd Marine Regiment 2nd Marine Division II Marine Expeditionary Force Camp Lejeune N.C.; Died Dec. 1 in Garmsir district Afghanistan while supporting combat operations. Joining Marines was his goal from childhood on The Associated Press Jonathan Taylor started talking about joining the Marine Corps when he was just 11. At 13 he wasn’t quite old enough — so he joined the Naval Sea Cadets Corps. He was highly motivated said Lt. Cmdr. June Tillett who mentored Taylor in the program. “I’ve gone through thousands of cadets and he was in my top five” she said. “I feel like I’ve lost a son.” Taylor22 of Jacksonville Fla. was killed Dec. 1 in Helmand province Afghanistan. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune N.C. He graduated from Wolfson High School and attended The Citadel a military college in South Carolina before enlisting after a year there. Taylor loved the Florida Gators and enjoyed politics and history according to an obituary posted online. He last spoke to his family the day before Thanksgiving to get an update on his favorite team and chat with his three sisters. “He brought so much light to the family” said sister MacKenzie 15. “If you saw him you’d smile.” Friends and family said Taylor excelled in Junior ROTC activities as a youngster and knew what it meant to serve. “Jonathan was one of those idealists” said James Miller Taylor’s high school history teacher. “He understood why we started this country. He got the sacrifices behind this country.”Operation Enduring Freedom