Mayor Craig A. Moe has announced that flags will fly at half-staff to honor Lance Corporal Eugene C. Mills, III, 21 years old, of Laurel, MD. The Mills family has many ties to the Laurel Community, father Eugene Mills II, was a dispatcher with the City of Laurel Police Department before becoming a Prince George’s County Police Officer and a member of the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department and the family are members of the American Legion Post 60.

Lance Corporal Mills, who had wanted to serve in the Marines since 2001, was stationed out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Lance Corporal Mills was assigned to the 1^st Battalion, 8^th Marine Regiment, 2^nd Marine Division and II Marine Expeditionary Force and he was deployed to Helmand Province of Afghanistan. On June 22, 2012, Lance Corporal Mills was killed while conducting combat operations in support of Enduring Freedom. Lance Corporal Mills was flown to Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware is expected to be brought to Maryland by the end of the week. Since Lance Corporal Mills was injured in the line of duty, he has been recommended to receive the honor of the Purple Heart posthumously.

Mayor Moe asks that you keep the Mills family in your prayers. Mayor Moe is honored to have such a brave young man as part of the Laurel Community and is proud of the ultimate sacrifice that Lance Corporal Mills and so many others have given for this country. His prayers go out to the Mills family and to all the families of those serving in our military service.

Funeral arrangements have not been released as of the posting of this press release. The flag will remain at half-staff until the day of funeral services for Lance Corporal Eugene Mills III.