Gary S. Johnston was born on May 24, 1985 in Wichita Falls, Texas, to Angela and J.B. "Nubbin" Johnston. He grew up with two sisters, Holly and Sabrina, and a nephew, Ethan Scott, began school in Archer City, and played little league baseball, basketball, and football. After moving to Windthorst before sixth grade, he continued in sports and, during his senior year in football, was named to the all district team on both offense and defense, all state defense, and the Red River 22 All Star Team, while his teammates voted him MVP on both offense and defense. He also competed in trap and skeet through Archer County 4-H, later joined the Amateur Trap Shooting Assoc., traveled to meets around the United States, won numerous events, and received the Dale Hoff Memorial and Texas State Memorial Trap Shooting scholarships. His hobbies included riding motorcycles and 4 wheelers, hunting, fishing, paintball, and rodeo, and classmates remembered him as dependable, tough, and always ready to help others. He attended MSU for one year before enlisting in the Marine Corps, fulfilling a longtime goal. Stationed in Okinawa, Japan, he was selected for reconnaissance school and afterward was attached to the 3rd Recon Battalion as a communications specialist and field radio operator. Deployed with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, he toured the Pacific, including Korea, Guam, and Iwo Jima, took part in humanitarian aid to the Philippines during mud slides, and was selected for security on President George W. Bush's 2005 Mongolia trip. He was also awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal posthumously with Combat Distinguishing Device. Although his deployment with 3rd Recon was scheduled to end in October 2006, he extended so he could deploy with his battalion to Iraq. Members of his platoon remembered him as the first at work, the last to leave, highly skilled, and deeply dedicated. He attained the rank of Sergeant on January 1, 2007, after only two-and-a-half years in the Marines. On January 23, 2007, Sergeant Johnston was killed in action when he was struck by an improvised explosive device. His devotion to his fellow Marines was remembered as selfless, inspiring, and an example of combat leadership.