Lance Corporal Justin Ellsworth Memorial Highway

In October of 2020, The Michigan Legislature enacted the MICHIGAN MEMORIAL HIGHWAY ACT (EXCERPT)

Act 142 of 2001 [phone redacted] "Lance Corporal Justin Ellsworth Memorial Highway." Sec. 1050. The portion of highway US-127 in Isabella County beginning at the exit to US-127 business route and extending north to the Pickard Road exit shall be named the "Lance Corporal Justin Ellsworth Memorial Highway".

The funds raised with this GoFundMe will be paying for the manufacture, installation, and maintenance of two signs, one north bound 127 at the exit to US-127 business route and the other at the Pickard Road exit on South bound US-127

We need to raise $4700.00 to accomplish this!

Justin Ellsworth was raised in Mount Pleasant and was a 2003 graduate of Mount Pleasant High School. He joined the Marine Corp and after graduation from boot camp, was deployed to Fallujah Iraq in 2004.

Justin's story:

At approximately 1130 on November 13, 2004 a seven-man reconnaissance patrol left a platoon patrol base to interdict insurgent activity in the vicinity of Al Sadan, Iraq. Lance Corporal Ellsworth was assigned to the patrol in order to provide engineering capabilities in locating and destroying weapons caches. As the patrol was returning to the patrol base, Lance Corporal Ellsworth received an initial reading on his metal detector indicating the potential for a possible Improvised Explosive Device buried along an unimproved road. Realizing that a possible explosive device was only 50 meters away from the patrol base and numerous Marines were in the near proximity, he immediately focused his efforts to identify and neutralize the threat to his unit. Demonstrating a complete disregard for his own personal welfare he selflessly moved forward clearly exposing himself to the potential effects of the explosive. Shortly after discovering the cell phone, the explosive was detonated, mortally wounding Lance Corporal Ellsworth. At the time of the detonation, Lance Corporal Ellsworth was positioned directly over the improvised explosive device. His body directly absorbed a large portion of the detonation. Many Marines lives were spared and several others escaped severe injuries as a direct result of Lance Corporal Ellsworth's initiative and courageous actions.

Lance Corporal Ellsworth's selfless dedication and personal bravery in the face of grave danger were heroic. His sacrifice prevented the serious injury or loss of further life among his fellow Marines.

We need to honor him.