Death of a Brother

A Marine Brother-In-Arms was killed in Afghanistan recently. The following article is his obituary in the Beaufort Gazette. He was a member of our sister squadron, VMFA (AW)-224, the "Bengals." Take care, Garrett. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Beaufort-born Marine dies in Afghanistan

Beaufort-born Marine Capt. Garrett Tucker Lawton died Aug. 4 from wounds he suffered as a result of an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan while conducting combat operations as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

He was killed in Heart Province, which is on Afghanistan's western border with Iran.

Lawton, 31, served as an F-18 weapons and sensors officer and an air officer based out of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

He joined the Corps on July 3, 1996 and was promoted to captain July 1, 2004.

Lawton's military career included two Purple Hearts -- one for the incident that ultimately led to his death and another that he received in May for other injuries he received in an improvised explosive device attack.

Lawton's grandmother Beatrice Sampson, of Beaufort, said she has a picture of her grandson as an 8-year-old wearing a full Marine uniform.

"I mean, he is a Marine," she said. "He was doing what he wanted to do. He loved his country."
Despite being busy with his military career, Lawton always made time for his family, Sampson said.

"He always took time out for us. He was such a loving, kind person," she said.

Lawton, born Dec. 3, 1976, lived in Beaufort until he was about 4 years old.

Survivors include his wife, Trisha; two sons, Ryan, 6, and Caden, 4; his father, David Lawton; his mother and stepfather, Cathy and Cal Peters; his sister, Kenna Hubai; and his maternal grandparents, Robert and Beatrice Sampson.

Services for Lawton will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Chapel.

Published Mon, Aug 11, 2008 12:00 AM
By ALEXIS GARROBO
Beaufort Gazette