Fallen But Never Forgotten: Sgt. Jayton Patterson’s Story

In October 2004, I deployed to Iraq as a Marine K9 bomb dog handler with my partner, Benny. While attached to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines at FOB Iskanderiya — the Triangle of Death — I met Sgt. Jayton Patterson.

We went on countless raids and patrols together. He was the definition of a Marine’s Marine.

Two weeks before going home to his wife and 18-month-old daughter, Sgt. Patterson was killed while protecting his Marines — stepping out alone to inspect an IED hole so no one else would be hurt.

It took me over 20 years to visit his gravesite. This past summer, I finally did — and I unexpectedly met his mother. What happened next is something I will never forget.

This video is for Sgt. Patterson.
For his family.
And for every Marine who keeps the names of our fallen alive.

🇺🇸 Never forget.
If you served with Sgt. Patterson or 1/2 Marines during this time, please share your memories in the comments. His family still reads them.

00:00 – Intro: Deployment to Iraq
00:05 – Meeting Sgt. Patterson and Benny the K9
00:43 – The patrol that started their friendship
01:15 – The weapons cache discovery
01:37 – The moment everything went wrong
02:05 – Learning Sergeant Patterson was gone
02:44 – What kind of Marine he was
03:07 – 20 years later: returning to honor him
03:35 – Visiting the Patterson family
04:24 – An emotional reunion
05:01 – Keeping his name alive

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