U.S Marine Corporal Joseph C. Whitehead

Cpl. Joseph Whitehead

U.S Marine Corporal Joseph C. Whitehead, aged 22, was killed on 17th January 2011 whilst taking part in combat operations in Helmand province.

Cpl. Whitehead was assigned to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion in the 2nd Marine Division of II Marine Expeditionary Force. He was based out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

At his funeral, a brother recalled Cpl. Whitehead’s four great loves: “Food. Family. Children. And food.” 

A time was recalled when he took his grandfather’s boat out for a spin, and later swam home without the boat or motor when something went wrong. Both items were later recovered. 

The Purple Heart was presented by Whitehead’s fellow Marines to his family.