When the body of President Gerald Ford was laid to rest this week, on hand to lend dignity and decorum to the moment were two United States Marines from Carlton County.
Cloquet High School 1999 graduate Cpl. Ryan Johnson, 25, and Wrenshall High School graduate Jason Darby, 19, were selected from among an elite corps of Body Bearers based in Washington, D.C. to represent the United States Marine Corps during the former President's funeral and all of the activities and ceremonies preceding it.
According to Johnson's father, David, of Cloquet, Ryan has been in the Marine Corps for the past three years, having enlisted in December 2003. He has been stationed in Washington, D.C. for the past two years as part of the Body Bearers unit. Johnson explained the 12 members of the unit are specially trained to help conduct funerals for fellow Marines, former Marines and their family members, primarily at Arlington National Cemetery but in other locations for national leaders as well.
Johnson said the men train extensively for such duty, involving intensive physical and strength training, as well as precision and drill training.
Johnson said the unit has, more specifially, trained for Ford's eventual funeral ever since he became of an advanced age and began to suffer health problems.
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For a full acount of their experiences during the Presidential funeral proceedings, read next week's issue of the Pine Journal.
