A 24-year-old Kaneohe Marine whose unit is scheduled to return this fall died Thursday in combat in Afghanistan, the Defense Department said.

Lance Cpl. John J. Malone of Yonkers, N.Y., who had previously been awarded the Purple Heart, died while supporting combat operations in Farah province, according to the Pentagon.

The New York Times quoted a U.S. military official as saying that a Marine was shot while on patrol near the border of Nimruz, Helmand and Farah provinces.

Malone was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay.

Malone was a machine gunner who deployed to Afghanistan in May, according to a news release from Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

Malone joined the Marines in February 2007 and reported to the 2nd Battalion in June 2007. He previously deployed to Iraq with the same unit in February 2008.

He participated in numerous pre-deployment training exercises on Oahu as well as Lava Viper on the Big Island and Mojave Viper in California prior to each deployment, the Marines said.

His awards include the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.

Four U.S. soldiers were also killed in Afghanistan yesterday in separate incidents, according to the New York Times.