Cpl. Johnathon T. Burnette of Cookville, Tennessee attended Northeast Elementary School, Avery Trace Middle School and was a 2002 graduate of Cookeville High School and wanted to leave school early so he could join the Marine Corps which he did in 2005. He attended Tennessee Technological University prior to enlisting in the Marines and was continuing his college education on base at Camp Lejeune. He completed boot camp recruit training, Marine combat training and the Basic Landing Support Marine Course in 2005. He was an expert marksman in rifle certification and completed the Sergeants non-resident program. He was certified in scuba diving and paratrooping. He was deployed on the USS Nashville with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unite from June 2006 to December 2006, and assisted the Lebanon evacuations during that time. He completed the Arabic Emersion Language course on May 16, 2007, and the Reconnaissance Indoctrination program on July 27, 2007. Johnathon gave his heart and life to the Lord in June 1991 during Vacation Bible School and had been a member of Eastwood Baptist Church since that time. While stationed at Camp Lejeune, he attended Salem Baptist Church in Sneads Ferry, N.C., where he rededicated his life to the Lord on Sunday night, Jan. 4, 2009. He was an avid motorcycle rider. His awards included the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfathers, the Rev. James Clay Hammons and the Rev. Fred T. Norris; his maternal great-grandparents, Oscar and Ella Mae Hammons and Virgil and Lillie Cooper; and his paternal great-grandparents, Thurman and Dessie Burnette and James Lum and Mattie Cantrell. He was 24.

Marines
Headquarters Battalion
2nd Marine Division
II Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina