Mountain communities pay honor to Sgt. Christopher J. Lockett

January 15, 2019

Collins Parker,

MURPHY, North Carolina (WDEF) Veterans, emergency responders and citizens paid honor this evening to a young marine who died in service.

26 year old Sgt. Christopher J. Lockett, USMC died last week at a U.S. facility, but the Marines are not offering further details.

They did, however, send his body home to Murphy, North Carolina on Tuesday with full military honors.

The body was escorted from Atlanta to Murphy.

Veterans groups on motorcycles joined the motorcade through Fannin and Cherokee counties.

And residents lined the road waiving American flags.

Sgt. Lockett was a Marine Corps martial arts program instructor with a first degree black belt, Marine combat marksmanship rifle expert 2nd award, Avionics Warfare equipment apprentice and Aircrew Survival equipment apprentice.

In his too brief career, he earned the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (2), the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; National Defense Service Medal; NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Sea Service Deployment Medal (2); Letter of Appreciation (3); Certificate of Commendation (individual award) and Meritorious Mast.