Funeral starts for soldier at center of Trump fight

Mourners filled a church in Florida on Saturday to honor US soldier La David Johnson (pictured), whose combat death in Africa led to a political fight between President Donald Trump and a Florida congresswoman

Mourners filled a church in Florida on Saturday to honor a US soldier whose combat death in Africa led to a political fight between President Donald Trump and a Florida congresswoman.

Sgt La David T Johnson’s pregnant widow, Myeshia, held the arm of an Army officer as she led her family, dressed in white, into Christ the Rock Community Church in Cooper City. The family asked that reporters remain outside.

Flags across Florida flew at half-staff as Johnson’s remains were afterwards transported to be buried at Hollywood Memorial Gardens.

Johnson, 25, was one of four US Special Forces troops killed on October 4 in an ambush in Niger in an attack by militants linked to the Islamic State group. Four soldiers from Niger also died.

Members of the community showed up outside the church to show support for the Johnson family.

Debbie Valin and her teenage daughter, Michelle Shawn, held a US flag outside the church for more than an hour before the service.

‘We are here for the military. We are grateful for the people who serve,’ said Valin, whose grandson just completed Marine boot camp.

Fred Walker, a Marine veteran, planted small flags along the driveway into the church.

‘It’s about doing the right thing for the soldiers. They are not acknowledged enough,’ said Walker, who served from 1983 to 1989 as a tank gunner and substance abuse counselor.

Sgt La David T Johnson's pregnant widow, Myeshia, held the arm of an Army officer as she led her family, dressed in white, into  Christ the Rock Community Church in Cooper City (Pictured, Johnson's casket is taken from Christ the Rock Church on Friday)

Sgt La David T Johnson’s pregnant widow, Myeshia, held the arm of an Army officer as she led her family, dressed in white, into Christ the Rock Community Church in Cooper City (Pictured, Johnson’s casket is taken from Christ the Rock Church on Friday)

Members of the community showed up outside the church to show support for the Johnson family, holding American flags (Pictured, Johnson's casket is taken from Christ the Rock Church on Friday) 

Members of the community showed up outside the church to show support for the Johnson family, holding American flags (Pictured, Johnson’s casket is taken from Christ the Rock Church on Friday) 

Aside from his pregnant widow,  he also leaves behind six-year-old daughter Ah'leesya and two-year-old son La David Jr (Pictured, Myeshia Johnson cries over the casket of her husband on Tuesday as she holds the hand of daughter Ah'leesya)

Aside from his pregnant widow, he also leaves behind six-year-old daughter Ah’leesya and two-year-old son La David Jr (Pictured, Myeshia Johnson cries over the casket of her husband on Tuesday as she holds the hand of daughter Ah’leesya)

Johnson met his wife when he was six years old and the two eventually wed in August 2014. She is set to deliver their third child in January, a girl who will be named La'Shee (Pictured, Myeshia Johnson cries over the casket of her husband on Tuesday as she holds the hand of daughter Ah'leesya)

Johnson met his wife when he was six years old and the two eventually wed in August 2014. She is set to deliver their third child in January, a girl who will be named La’Shee (Pictured, Myeshia Johnson cries over the casket of her husband on Tuesday as she holds the hand of daughter Ah’leesya)

Aside from his widow, Johnson also leaves behind six-year-old daughter Ah’leesya and two-year-old son La David Jr.

According to Local 10 News, Johnson graduated from high school in 2010 and worked at a Walmart in Pembroke Pines for several years until he joined the military in 2014.

Friends say he didn’t smoke nor drink and he never experimented with drugs.

He met his wife, Myeshia Manuel, when he was six years old and the two eventually wed in August 2014. She is set to deliver their third child in January, a girl who will be named La’Shee.

The Miami Herald reports that Johnson’s mother died when he was five and that he was raised by his aunt, Cowanda Jones-Johnson.

His family enrolled him in 5000 Role Models, a project Rep Frederica Wilson (D – Miami Gardens) began in 1993 when she was an educator to mentor African-American males and prepare them for college, vocational school or the military.

The fight between the president and Wilson began Tuesday when the Miami-area Democrat said Trump told Myeshia Johnson in a phone call that her husband ‘knew what he signed up for’ and didn’t appear to know his name, a story later backed up by Johnson’s aunt.

Wilson was riding with Johnson’s family to meet the body and heard the call on speakerphone. She was principal of a school that Johnson’s father attended.

Johnson, 25, was one of four US Special Forces troops killed on October 4 in an ambush in Niger in an attack by militants linked to the Islamic State group (Pictured, Johnson's coffin is taken into Christ the Rock Church on Saturday)

Johnson, 25, was one of four US Special Forces troops killed on October 4 in an ambush in Niger in an attack by militants linked to the Islamic State group (Pictured, Johnson’s coffin is taken into Christ the Rock Church on Saturday)

Johnson's family, the Pentagon and the White House are all waiting for the results of an ongoing investigation of what occurred during the last 48 hours he was in an African desert (Pictured, Johnson's coffin is taken into Christ the Rock Church on Saturday)

Johnson’s family, the Pentagon and the White House are all waiting for the results of an ongoing investigation of what occurred during the last 48 hours he was in an African desert (Pictured, Johnson’s coffin is taken into Christ the Rock Church on Saturday)

Trump tweeted Wilson ‘fabricated’ his statement and the fight escalated through the week. Trump in other tweets called her ‘wacky’ and accused her of ‘SECRETLY’ listening to the phone call.

Trump’s chief of staff, John Kelly, entered the fray on Thursday. Kelly asserted that the congresswoman had delivered a 2015 speech at an FBI field office dedication in which she ‘talked about how she was instrumental in getting the funding for that building,’ rather than keeping the focus on the fallen agents for which it was named. Video of the speech contradicted his recollection.

Wilson, who is black, fired back Friday when she told The New York Times: ‘The White House itself is full white supremacists.’

Trump allegedly told Myeshia Johnson (left, with Johnson) in a phone call that her husband 'knew what he signed up for'

Trump also didn't appear to know his name, a version later backed up by Johnson's aunt (left, with Johnson)

Trump allegedly told Myeshia Johnson (left, with Johnson) in a phone call that her husband ‘knew what he signed up for’ and didn’t appear to know his name, a version later backed up by Johnson’s aunt (right, with Johnson)

Representative Frederica Wilson condemned the comment which was seen by her and Johnson's family as insensitive (Pictured, Myeshia and La David Johnson)

Representative Frederica Wilson condemned the comment which was seen by her and Johnson’s family as insensitive (Pictured, Myeshia and La David Johnson)

The retorts persisted on Saturday morning, with Trump tweeting: 'I hope the Fake News Media keeps talking about Wacky Congresswoman Wilson in that she, as a representative, is killing the Democrat Party!' (Pictured, Wilson on CNN)

The retorts persisted on Saturday morning, with Trump tweeting: ‘I hope the Fake News Media keeps talking about Wacky Congresswoman Wilson in that she, as a representative, is killing the Democrat Party!’ (Pictured, Wilson on CNN)

The retorts persisted on Saturday morning, with Trump tweeting: ‘I hope the Fake News Media keeps talking about Wacky Congresswoman Wilson in that she, as a representative, is killing the Democrat Party!’

Johnson’s family, the Pentagon and the White House are all waiting for the results of an ongoing investigation of what occurred during the last 48 hours he was in an African desert. 

 

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