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Thursday, Sep. 17, 2009

Navy medic killed in Afghanistan laid to rest in Escalon

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ESCALON — Military services were held Thursday for Petty Officer 3rd Class James Layton, a Navy corpsman from Riverbank who was killed in action Sept. 8 in the Kunar province of eastern Afghanistan.

Navy officers presided over the graveside services attended by family and community members at Burwood Cemetery near Escalon. The 22-year-old sailor was honored with prayers, a gun salute, Cherokee rituals and presentation of the flag and awards to his mother, Nikki Freitas of Riverbank.

Layton is the 28th service member from the Northern San Joaquin Valley and foothills to die in Iraq or Afghanistan.

He was part of a mission to train Afghan soldiers to provide security for their country. A force of Afghan troops and their U.S. trainers were ambushed by insurgents near the village of Ganjgal. Layton was killed while giving medical care to a wounded Marine.