Marines Memorialized

Of the 241 killed in the 1983 terrorist attack, three were from the Valley.

By Sean Barron

Beginning at an early age, Marine Cpl. Edward Johnston led a life that at its core featured leadership and a deep desire to serve others.

It was in that spirit that he enlisted in the Marines shortly after high school and found himself part of a peacekeeping mission in Beirut, Lebanon.

His life, however, was tragically cut short Oct. 23, 1983, at age 22 after a suicide truck bomber struck the barracks containing Johnston and several hundred military personnel, killing 241.

Johnston, a 1978 Struthers High School graduate, was one of three local men killed in the attack, and was among those honored during a 30-minute memorial service at the Hopewell Beirut Memorial on state Route 616 in Struthers. Hosting the event was the Youngstown-based Marine Corps League Tri-County Detachment No. 494.

The other area men killed were Marine Cpl. Stanley Silwinski of Niles and Sgt. James McDonough of New Castle, Pa.

“He was my big brother and big protector,” Johnston’s sister, Mary Ann Beck, said after the ceremony. “He was fun loving and loyal and always told my younger brother [Charles] to do the right things.”

Johnston was a big Elvis fan who enjoyed playing pool, among other things. He also took part in basketball and several other sports in high school, Beck recalled.

“[The loss] leaves a hole in your heart, but I know in my faith that we’ll see him again,” Johnston’s mother, Mary Ann Johnston, said, adding that her son had planned to become a police officer upon leaving the military.

Also at the gathering were his father, Edward Sr., the younger Johnston’s wife, Mary Lynn Buckner of Vienna, and several other relatives and friends.

“I want him remembered as someone who put his life on the line to do whatever his country asked, whether he believed in it or not,” Buckner said.

Johnston’s daughter, Alicia, was 2 at the time of the attack and now serves on the Beirut Veterans of America’s national board of directors as a next-of-kin representative. A main motivator for Alicia to serve in that capacity is to honor her father, Buckner added.

The ceremony also featured remarks by Alan D. Opra, chairman of the United Auto Workers’ Region One Veterans Council.

The first duty for civilians should be to remember those who served their country, Opra told the audience of several dozen servicemen, family members and others. It’s normal for those who lost loved ones to have some days that are filled with fond memories, yet others with the pain of the loss, he explained.

Despite such difficulties, he and most military personnel would return to service if called, Opra continued.

Opra added that he is proud of his sons, Jason and Tony Slaven, for their military service. Both are in the Marines.

Johnston’s family members were among those who laid a wreath in front of The Peace Keepers Memorial in honor of their loved ones while a bagpiper played “Amazing Grace.”

The memorial service honoring those who served in Beirut takes place on Memorial Day and the Sunday closest to Oct. 23, noted Frank Sokol, commandant of Tri-County Detachment 494.