Army Pfc. Kalin C. Johnson

Remember Our Heroes

Army Pfc. Kalin C. Johnson, 19, of Lexington, S.C.

Pfc Johnson was assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; died March 8, 2011 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat incident.

Army Pfc. Kalin C. Johnson, 19, of Lexington died in Afghanistan on Tuesday of injuries suffered in a non-combat incident, the Department of Defense reported Wednesday.

“It’s just heartbreaking. It’s horrible. He had a small child,” said Christina Chandler of Lexington.

Lexington High School, where Johnson earned his diploma, has lost four graduates who died in military service since 2003. All of them were 19 years old, she said.
In addition, another Lexington 19-year-old who attended a different high school died serving in the military during that time, she said. Johnson was friends with her son, Chandler said.

His death happened in Kandahar province while he was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany, the DOD said.

“I got the news directly from the regiment in Afghanistan. No other information was released,” said Dave Gettman, 2nd Cavalry Association webmaster and editor-in-chief.

A memorial ceremony for Johnson has been scheduled for March 17 at Rose Barracks Cavalry Chapel in Vilseck, Gettman reported.

Johnson was a 2009 graduate of Lexington High School, WIS-TV reported.

His Facebook page listed his hometown as Charleston.

Johnson's parents released this statement Wednesday afternoon saying the family is in mourning. "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Kalin who died serving his country."

Army Pfc. Kalin C. Johnson was killed in a non-combat related incident on 3/8/11.