by John Ellsworth, proud Father
Mar. 18, 2009

Lance Cpl. Justin M. Ellsworth, 20, died Nov. 13 2004 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Ellsworth was assigned to Combat Service Support Battalion 1, Combat Service Support Group 11, 1st Force Service Support Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, and Camp Pendleton, California.

On March 19, 2003, the very same day President Bush declared war on Iraq, Justin enlisted in the Marines under the delayed entry program. Justin was a senior in High School at the time he graduated in June of 2003 and left for the Marines in September 2003.

Justin Graduated from boot camp on December 12th 2003 at Marine Corp Recruit Depot in San Diego California. Justin was deployed to Iraq arriving at Camp Fallujah on September 11th, 2004.

At approximately 1130 on November 13, 2004 A seven-man reconnaissance patrol left a platoon patrol base to interdict insurgent activity in the vicinity of Al Sadan, Iraq. Lance Corporal Ellsworth was assigned to the patrol in order to provide engineering capabilities in locating and destroying weapons caches. As the patrol was returning to the patrol base, Lance Corporal Ellsworth received an initial reading on his metal detector indicating the potential for a possible Improvised Explosive Device buried along a road. Realizing numerous Marines were in the near proximity, he immediately focused his efforts to identify and neutralize the threat to his unit. Demonstrating a complete disregard for his own personal welfare he selflessly moved forward clearly exposing himself to the potential effects of the explosive. The object uncovered was determined to be a homemade explosive device. Once Lance Corporal Ellsworth identified the location of the improvised explosive device, determined that there were not wires and that it that was in all probability a remotely controlled device, he immediately warned his fellow Marines to clear the area. He determined that the object consisted of three homemade explosive cylinders taped together with a cord running to a cell phone adjacent to the explosives. By this time, there were seven Marines within the immediate vicinity of the improvised explosive device and another four Marines were approximately 20-30 meters away. Shortly after discovering the cell phone, the explosive was detonated, mortally wounding Lance Corporal Ellsworth. At the time of the detonation, Lance Corporal Ellsworth was positioned directly over the improvised explosive device. His body directly absorbed a large portion of the detonation. Many Marines lives were spared and several others escaped severe injuries as a direct result of Lance Corporal Ellsworth’s initiative and courageous actions.

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