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Army Sgt. James G. Johnston was one of two soldiers killed in Afghanistan on June 25, 2019.

Army Sgt. James G. Johnston was one of two soldiers killed in Afghanistan on June 25, 2019. (Defense Department)

Army Sgt. James G. Johnston was one of two soldiers killed in Afghanistan on June 25, 2019.

Army Sgt. James G. Johnston was one of two soldiers killed in Afghanistan on June 25, 2019. (Defense Department)

People gathered at the exit to Fort Hood as the body of Army Sgt. James G. Johnston is escorted Friday from a ceremony at the base to a local funeral home. The soldier, who died in Afghanistan on June 25, will be buried Monday.

People gathered at the exit to Fort Hood as the body of Army Sgt. James G. Johnston is escorted Friday from a ceremony at the base to a local funeral home. The soldier, who died in Afghanistan on June 25, will be buried Monday. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers salute as the remains of Sgt. James G. Johnston, who died in combat June 25 in Afghanistan, depart Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood, Texas on Friday. He will be buried Monday at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery.

Soldiers salute as the remains of Sgt. James G. Johnston, who died in combat June 25 in Afghanistan, depart Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood, Texas on Friday. He will be buried Monday at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes)

The flag-draped casket carrying the remains of Sgt. James G. Johnston, who died in combat June 25 in Afghanistan, is placed in a hearse during a ceremony Friday at Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood, Texas.

The flag-draped casket carrying the remains of Sgt. James G. Johnston, who died in combat June 25 in Afghanistan, is placed in a hearse during a ceremony Friday at Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood, Texas. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes)

A color guard stands at attention Friday as the plane carrying the remains of Army Sgt. James G. Johnston, who died in combat June 25 in Afghanistan, arrives at Fort Hood, Texas.

A color guard stands at attention Friday as the plane carrying the remains of Army Sgt. James G. Johnston, who died in combat June 25 in Afghanistan, arrives at Fort Hood, Texas. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes)

Fires trucks spray water to create an archway Friday as the plane carrying the remains of Army Sgt. James G. Johnston, who died in combat June 25 in Afghanistan, arrives at Fort Hood, Texas.

Fires trucks spray water to create an archway Friday as the plane carrying the remains of Army Sgt. James G. Johnston, who died in combat June 25 in Afghanistan, arrives at Fort Hood, Texas. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes)

The body of Sgt. James G. Johnston, who died in combat June 25 in Afghanistan, is carried from a plane to a hearse during a ceremony Friday at Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood, Texas. His family wore Hawaiian shirts in the soldier's honor.

The body of Sgt. James G. Johnston, who died in combat June 25 in Afghanistan, is carried from a plane to a hearse during a ceremony Friday at Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood, Texas. His family wore Hawaiian shirts in the soldier's honor. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes)

FORT HOOD, Texas — Sunshine and strong winds bore down on family and soldiers gathered at Robert Gray Army Airfield on Friday as the remains of Sgt. James Gregory Johnston returned to Texas in preparation for his burial.

The family of Johnston, who died June 25 in a close-quarters firefight with the Taliban in Afghanistan, stood with soldiers of the 79th Ordnance Battalion, Johnson’s unit, to honor the fallen soldier.

During the ramp ceremony, which is held at the airfield when the remains of a servicemember arrive or depart a location, Johnston’s flag-draped casket was lowered from a chartered plane and carried to a hearse. A military police escort led the vehicle off-post where members of the central Texas community waited with flags and salutes.

Johnston’s family, including his pregnant widow Krista Johnston, wore Hawaiian-style shirts to the ceremony, because the soldier loved the colorful button-down shirts. On Instagram, there are more than 272 posts using the hashtag #hawaiianshirtsforjj as a way to honor the fallen soldier.

Johnston, 24, was explosive ordnance disposal technician from Trumansburg, N.Y. Burial is scheduled for Monday at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen.

thayer.rose@stripes.com Twitter: @Rose_Lori

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Rose L. Thayer is based in Austin, Texas, and she has been covering the western region of the continental U.S. for Stars and Stripes since 2018. Before that she was a reporter for Killeen Daily Herald and a freelance journalist for publications including The Alcalde, Texas Highways and the Austin American-Statesman. She is the spouse of an Army veteran and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. Her awards include a 2021 Society of Professional Journalists Washington Dateline Award and an Honorable Mention from the Military Reporters and Editors Association for her coverage of crime at Fort Hood.

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