LANCE CPL. CHRIS FOWLKES

Family members and friends of Lance Cpl. Chris Fowlkes waited by their phones Sunday to hear any news whatsoever about the 20-year-old Marine's status and medical treatment.

 

While thousands of miles removed from him, they found comfort in prayers — both in their own and the prayers said on Chris Fowlkes' behalf by others throughout the community.

Fowlkes suffered critical injuries from an improvised explosive device Thursday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. A fellow Marine and a Navy corpsman were killed in the blast, and two other servicemen also were severely hurt.

Some time between Saturday night and Sunday morning, Fowlkes was transferred to a U.S. medical facility in Landstuhl, Germany and was scheduled to undergo exploratory surgery so doctors could assess the extent of his injuries and treat any wounds that were not addressed in Afghanistan, a family member said.

Fowlkes' uncle, Mike Fowlkes, said the family hoped to get an update late Sunday or Monday.

The distance between the family and the young Marine has been difficult, Mike Fowlkes said. He said Chris' father and grandfather have been discussing traveling to Germany, but there are no firm plans at this point because Chris' injuries and treatment would make access very limited.

Lance Cpl. Chris Fowlkes poses with Afghanistan youngsters in this photo provided by his family. The local Marine was critically injured when a roadside bomb exploded. Two U.S. servicemen were killed in the blast.

The U.S. Department of Defense didn't release many details of the incident, other than to identify the two servicemen who

 

were killed.

Chris Fowlkes is part of the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Mike Fowlkes said the family learned Chris, along with two other Marines and two Navy corpsmen, dismounted their vehicle to engage the enemy when one of the other Marines stepped on the pressure plate of an improvised explosive device in the ground.

Department of Defense reports identified the two servicemen killed in the blast as Lance Cpl. Christopher Baltazar Jr., 19, of San Antonio, Texas, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin Castiglione, 21, of Howell, Mich.

Fowlkes, another Marine and a Navy corpsman all suffered critical wounds in the blast, though Mike Fowlkes said the family was informed that the condition of one of the other injured men had been upgraded within the past few days.

Fowlkes is a member of a Marine family and the third member to become a Marine, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, John, and his uncle, Mike. He graduated boot camp in 2007 and was in the middle of his second deployment overseas. He was expected to come back home in late November or early December.

"Christopher is an ideal Marine," his uncle said. "He loves the Marine Corps."

Mike Fowlkes said his nephew enjoyed his service so much that he has been weighing his options in terms of going to school to get his college degree or re-enlisting.

"He was weighing it and was strongly considering (re-enlistment)," his uncle said.

While Fowlkes' recovery weighed on their minds and hearts, Mike Fowlkes said the family wanted to offer their thanks for the support they have received and offer their own prayers for those who were with Chris and those who remain in harm's way.

"We have heard the prayers of this community as well as from numerous states throughout the country," he said. "We definitely want to stress our prayers go out to the families of the lost Marine and corpsman, as well as the families essentially going through what we're going through now."

Buford Street United Methodist Church will hold a prayer service Monday at 6 p.m. to pray for Fowlkes recovery.