Another beloved Georgia soldier dies in Afghanistan, Sgt. John D. Blair

June 23, 11:10 AMAtlanta Political Buzz ExaminerEwa Kochanska

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The Department of Defense announced 1st Sgt. John D. Blair of Calhoun, Ga, died June 20, 2009 in a battlefield while on a mission supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Blair, 38, died of wounds suffered from a rocket-propelled grenade that struck his vehicle in Mado Zayi, Afghanistan. He was an Army National Guardsman with the 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, Lawrenceville, Ga. Blair is the fourth fallen member of the 48th Brigade. 

A detailed and extremely touching account of the events as well as memories of the beloved Sergeant are included in an article by Dianna Cahn on Stars and Stripes website:

The gunner’s weapon was blazing over Staff Sgt. Timothy Bellinger’s head. He jumped from window to window of his armored vehicle, trying to make out the battle that 1st Sgt. John Blair was fighting in the gunner’s position above him.
Bellinger felt the strike of a rocket-propelled grenade as it tore through the turret. He heard Blair’s gun cease firing. He saw the body of a man who always pushed his guys to do it right, slump lifelessly in the belt.

“Right before this, he said to me ‘I love you, brother. Take care of yourself. Be safe,’ ” said a long time friend, Sgt. Ryan Popejoy [who was in a vehicle next to Blair’s and saw the incident], fingering a few spent gun rounds that had fallen in his pocket. “He went out with his boots on and his guns blazing.”

“He pushed me to a point where I didn’t think I can be. If it wasn’t for him, I never would have gone to Ranger school. Now that he’s gone, it’s the only thing I know how to do. He used to tell us that integrity was the checks and balances in life. You don’t ever give up. You don’t ever stop. As long as you believe that you are doing the right thing, you won’t be wrong,” said Spc. Robert Love, 22.

While not a lot of information is available about Blair’s family at this time, here’s a short bio:

First Sgt John D Blair of Calhoun, Georgia graduated from Cumberland High School in Harlan County, Kentucky in 1990. Many years later, after moving to Georgia, the National Guardsman was a stepfather of two and a devoted grandfather. After his tour in Iraq, he planned to dig out a lake for catfish on his property back in Georgia so he could take his grandson fishing.

The former deputy sheriff in Gordon County, Georgia was attached to the local Drug Task Force as part of the Georgia Army National Guard's counter-drug operations for several years. John served as a full-time deputy sheriff from June, 1994 until August, 1998 when he left the Sheriff's Office to assume full time duties in the National Guard. During his local service with the National Guard's counter-drug operations, John served as a reserve deputy sheriff from October, 2006 until December, 2008, when his National Guard unit was mobilized for duty in Afghanistan.

He was an extraordinarily skilled operative, specializing in covert drug-enforcement surveillance. During his time in the Sheriff's Office, John served as a jail officer, deputy sheriff, & sheriff's detective. He also served on the Office's honor guard, & SWAT team. His former superiors described him as an exemplary officer. source