Prayers Needed

[Juice]

While doing a tour in Iraq Blake was shot in the back on Thursday (9-28-2006). He is currently in Germany for surgery. This is the only info we have at this time. I will give a update when one becomes available. Some of you guys may remember him. He rode a black R1 and made a few rides with us over the summer......

http://www.dualsportridersoflouisiana.com/photopost/data/500/medium/100_28211.jpg

[SVTFreak]

Prayers done...

[Ritten]

Prayers sent for his family and a full recovery for Blake.

[Doug]

We're with you & your family Blake...

[scootertrash]

Prayers sent to the big Sgt. Maj. in the sky. God willing I hope the ass taht shot that round has a long agonizing death.

[yankeegirl]

Wow, always heartbreaking hearing of someone we know getting hurt..prayers def. sent!

[Pentabilly]

Prayers sent!

[SPDLUVER]

prayers sent

[Shakey75]

Prayers sent!

[ncognito70508]

Once a day until I meet this man.

[Fitty]

I'm so sorry to hear this. Prayers sent.

[Chekman]

Prayers sent

[VM 2]

Damn. Prayers sent.

[bayoubikebruiser]

Prayers sent. What's his MOS?

[BladeRunner]

Prayers sent ....

[lytspeed1]

It would be a great homecoming for Blake if we all got together for when he comes home and met him at the airport.......Is guys like Blake that are our "real ' heroes.....

[Save-the-Manatee]

Prayers sent for family and friends.

[chappy]

Full & Speedy recovery Blake!

[shortie]

he'll be in my prayers

[lovethewater72]

In my thoughts and prayers!

[Drivin&Cryin]

Done. God be with this young man.

[USMarine0621]

My prayers are especially with him! I hate hearing about a fellow brother of arms being brought down by the cowards in Iraq. The shit he's probably done I could only wish for, He's a true American hero, if it were up to me every person over there would be given the highest medal, the medal of honor, Lord knows he's probably done more than we all know over there, and went out there day after day and did shit some of us would never think of doing. God willing I'd like to meet him one day.

[Lumbee]

...prayers sent for speedy and full recovery...

[my2003r1]

For those that do not know me I a Jeff Easley brother-in-law. Blake grew up and is one Jeffrey's(Jeff's son) best friends. Patra called me Friday night and and told me the news and I left Mannheim, Germany where I am stationed and went to see Blake at Landstuhl Military Hospital which is an hour away. He was in ICU at the time. I went to see him Saturday after they did another surgery on him and we watched the LSU game amd talked. I went Sunday and visited and watched the Saints game with him also. Each night he was getting better but still in pain of course. His parents arrived on Monday and I also went back to see him and his parents and to make sure things were good for them. He since moved to a regular room as of yesturday. He will be glad to know that all of you are supporting him. He should be flying to Walter Reed Hospital later this week.

Thanks for all of your support for this young soldier,

SFC David Cain
US ARMY

[thedrizel]

Thank you for the update.


God be with him and his family.....

[MWM]

More prayers sent!

[RED]

Prayers sent along w/ my highest respect!

[jason70360]

Thank God! We owe him the biggest thanks possible for protecting our country. Glad to hear he is doing better.

I will still be praying for him.

[Dusty]

My Condolences. Please God look after our Boys & Girls that are going through hell right here on mother earth.

[Juice]

Denham Marine expects recovery
By Mike Dowty


http://www.dualsportridersoflouisiana.com/photopost/data/500/03marine.jpg
Lance Cpl. Blake A. Johnson


RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - Denham Springs Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Blake A. Johnson continued to recuperate here this week with plans to return Friday to the United States.

Johnson expects to stay another week to 10 days at Bethesda, Md., Naval Hospital before he is released to come home to Denham Springs. He is lucky to be alive.
More details have emerged this week as to how he was wounded by sniper fire in Iraq last Thursday, much of it in conflict with initial reports the family received that he had been in Baghdad.

It turns out that Johnson, son of Kayla L. and Jerry A. Johnson of Denham Springs, was hit in the back during an intelligence gathering operation in Fallujah and rushed to a field hospital, where he was stabilized before his transfer to Germany.

The Marine did not take a bullet in his gall bladder, as previously reported, but was struck in the fifth lumbar vertebra and initially had no movement or feeling in his lower limbs. However, the bullet first struck his hip bone, preventing a direct hit on the spine and when surgeons in Germany later removed a blood clot in the area, he regained feeling and some movement.

Johnson said Tuesday he is confident he will be walking again and functioning normally in a few months.
“The only thing I thought about when I got shot was how long will it be before I ride a motorcycle again,” the longtime Denham Springs resident and graduate of Central Private High School said.

On Sept. 16, Johnson's Fox Co. rounded up 71 insurgents in the surprise raid on a truck stop/flea market where they were having a meeting, Johnson said. On Thursday the company returned to the same location to gather information from local residents on wanted insurgents and terrorists.
“We started snooping around there to find some stuff, showing pictures of people to get intel,” Johnson said. That's when some insurgents opened fire.

Johnson was hit in the back by the first shot and fell to the ground. His fellow Marines returned fire, while one of them carried Johnson to safety soon after the company realized he had been hit and could not get up.

According the Johnson's uncle, John Michael Lockhart, the sniper was killed in the shootout while the wounded Marine was evacuated by Humvee. Johnson said that was the safest way to go.

“We were going to call in a bird (helicopter), but since we were in a firefight, that wasn't a good idea, so we just drove to the hospital,” the Marine said.

Johnson believes he was conscious the whole time, though later on he was pretty sedated and has only fuzzy recollections of his transport from the field hospital to Germany.

Though he had been in Iraq for less than two months, Johnson had already seen a lot of action and he was the second member of his unit to take a bullet. The first was treated for a shattered tailbone and was back in action within two weeks, he said.

During his tour, Johnson has gone out on a number of Quick Reaction Force missions, most of the time chasing false leads from bad intelligence, he said. However, on Sept. 16 he was as surprised as the 71 insurgents he helped capture after responding to a tip passed over the radio of a meeting at the market, which was closed to the public at the time.

“Whenever we rolled up there and saw all those people standing around, they were like a bunch of deer caught in the headlights,” Johnson said. “They cried like girls. The baddest one of them all - my sister is more of a man than he is. He dropped to his knees crying and saying how sorry he was.”

Johnson's parents and girlfriend have since flown to Germany to be with him. It turns out to be a small world because his first day at the hospital, he was visited by Army Sgt. 1st Class David Cain from Watson, father of Central Private classmate Jeff Easley. Cain is currently stationed in Germany and has provided transportation and other assistance to Johnson's family.

Lockhart was the first to arrive because he already had a passport to travel. He was followed by his parents and girlfriend, LeAnn Quiroz.

Johnson serves in the 8th Marines Second Battalion . He joined the Marine Corps in January 2004, two days after LSU won the BCS national championship in football at the Sugar Bowl. He began his second tour of the Middle East this July.

Last fall Johnson was recognized for taking part with his fellow Marines and Sailors in a community relations project during a port visit to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, while on a scheduled deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism while assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) homebased at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Volunteers worked at City of Hope, a women's shelter in Jumeirah. They painted hallways and performed general repair work, while some of the servicemembers played with the children staying at the home.

[Ritten]

This is great news!! God speed for a speedy recovery Blake.

[RED]

I don't know how, but somehow I knew that article would include something about riding a motorcycle!
Thank God he's still here & Thank God his injuries won't keep him from doing what he obviously so loves! Through alot of hard work & determination, he'll be back on a ride oneday!
God Be With You On Your Recovery Blake!!

[Dusty]

Cool12

[Juice]

http://wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=5605156

[jason70360]

He is a hero just for going over there and protecting our freedoms much less living through his struggle.

Godspeed on the recovery and I hope we meet on the road one day so I can say "Thank you".

[8-ball]

i just wanted yall to know blake is getting around now with a cane.hes getting ready for his 6th surgery friday i think.he read everything yall said an wanted me to tell yall thanks that this really ment a lot to him an he says he can start riding dec.1

[Shakey75]

Thanks for the update! I'm sure he's looking forward to getting back on the bike!

[CHAD1000RR]

Glad to see he's doing better. :)

[Ritten]

Glad to see he's doing better. :)


Dito

[six fiddy]

We will keep him in our prayers. We are from Scott La. & have a daughter at Ramstien we told her about your son. But we want him to know we are very proud of him. Just keep that motorcycle goal in mind We are very honored for the scarifice he & many others have given for our country. This is our daughter's 2nd tour over there Just keep a positive attuide & trust God. Thank you for your scarifice you have given this country

[lytspeed1]

Best wishes on a speedy recovery .......We owe you man....

[scootertrash]

Prayers are good thing, But God Loves Marines and he shall take care of you brother!

Semper Fi Mac!