CUMMING — Lance Cpl. Austin Handle spent part of his day Thursday posting photos and being outside. But not in the same way other 20-year-olds may have done so on social media.

Handle, a 2013 graduate of North Forsyth High School, visited the Cumming Veterans Memorial in front of the city police department to honor the four slain Marines shot down by a 24-year-old gunman in Chattanooga, Tenn., earlier that day.

All four — identified Friday as Georgia-born Lance Cpl. Squire “Skip” K. Wells, Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan, Staff Sgt. David A. Wyatt and Sgt. Carson A. Holmquist — were killed when the gunman opened fire at two Marine and Navy recruiting and reserve centers.

“I worked side by side with them for as long as I’ve been in the unit,” Handle said.

That had been one year and four months before he was transferred to another unit. Handle is currently attending the University of West Georgia.

“The sergeants, they were there way longer than me and way before me,” he said. “But Skip, I was with him a lot.”

Wells, a 21-year-old who hailed from Marietta and graduated from Sprayberry High School, had just been promoted to lance corporal, Handle said.

“He was so motivated. We would actually kind of joke and make fun of him because he was so focused,” Handle said of his fellow Marine. “He was really nice to everyone.”

He said when he got the news “that they got gunned down by a coward, I knew I needed to do something.”

Donald Hughes, a past commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9143 in Cumming, said Handle came by Thursday to explain he intended to erect a memorial for the four Marines.

Next to the photos and a couple dozen bundled flowers, the VFW has placed a red, white and blue wreath with hand-held American flags sticking out.

Handle said he wants to spread the word about the memorial so members of the community know they can leave their own flowers or add to the display.