Local guy from deerpark mentioned in USMC Article
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 796
Likes: 0
From: The Back Door...
Local guy from deerpark mentioned in USMC Article May not be appropriate here, but thought that someone might know him.
-----------------------------------------
3/5 Marine becomes Time Magazine Coverboy
by Lance Cpl. Miguel A. Carrasco Jr.
Marine Corps News
November 29, 2004
FALLUJAH, Iraq - Marine Cpl. Eric M. Shelvy never thought his face would end up on the front cover of a magazine and in millions of bookstores, newsstands and coffee tables across the country.
Shelvy, a squad leader with 2nd Squad, 2nd Platoon, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, was in the heart of Fallujah, Iraq, during Operation Al Fajr when the photo was taken by Time Magazine's photographer Max Becherer. Shelvy can be seen with dirt on his face and screaming for support from his squad while on a patrol in the city.
His emotional "war face' while going house-to-house in search of insurgents and weapons caches was printed on the front cover of the Nov. 22 issue of Time Magazine. The photo caused a stir of media attention for this young Marine and his parents.
"I really didn't think about the picture till I called my mom and she told me that everyone back home was making a big deal out of it," said Shelvy.
Shelvy's "fifteen minutes of fame' will always be on the cover of a well known magazine but he understands that he is still fighting in a war.
"The picture of me on the front cover of Time Magazine represents the company as a whole," said Shelvy. "The intensity of the situation can be shown on my face but it is the realism that we are in a war against insurgents that should also be seen."
With a family history rich with patriotism and men serving to protect their country, it was no surprise that Shelvy joined the Armed Forces to fight the war on terrorism. However, his uniformed forefathers were shocked at his decision to join the Corps.
"My dad was in the Navy and my grandfathers were in the service as well but none of them were in the Marine Corps," said Shelvy.
Shelvy's parents are both natives of St. Louis. Robert Shelvy is a sergeant with the St. Louis County Police Department and Dianne Guerra is a Public Relations director with Marianist Province of the United States.
"I grew up influenced by my father, he taught me the value of hard work and dedication," said Shelvy. He also showed me the importance of setting goals for myself."
After researching all of the different services, Shelvy decided to join the Marine Corps during his junior year of high school.
"I wanted a challenge so I chose the Marine Corps," said Shelvy. "I figured that in order to be the best you have to join the best."
Shelvy graduated boot camp from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego Oct. 11, 2002, with Platoon 2100, Company G, 2nd Battalion.
"It was a great sense of accomplishment to graduate and carry the title "Marine,'" said Shelvy. "While on boot leave I was able to spend time with friends and family before I started infantry school."
During the school of infantry at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Shelvy was taught how to live and survive on the battlefield.
From SOI, he was assigned to 3/5. Less than a month after arriving, Shelvy was deployed to Iraq Feb. 9 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"It was a very fast pace for me, to graduate high school and less than a year later I was fighting in a war on the other side of the world," said Shelvy.
When joining the Marine Corps, Shelvy knew he wanted to be on the front lines, making a difference with the Marines around him.
"When I joined the Marines I didn't know there was anything other than infantry," said Shelvy. "I take pride in the fact that I am a Marine."
With the experience gained from being apart of the first part of OIF, Shelvy has been able to pass on his knowledge, as a squad leader, to his young Marines in the current fight against terrorism.
"(Shelvy) is an extremely good influence on his squad and the Marines around him," said Staff Sgt. Jesse G. Thompson, 29, a native of Orlando, Fla., and a platoon sergeant with 2nd Platoon, Company I, 3/5. "All of the squad leaders in this platoon are the reasons why this platoon is as strong as any other platoon in the company."
"Even though (Shelvy) is a young squad leader he is as smart as our senior squad leaders," said Lance Cpl. Jeremy G. Miller, 22, a native of Deer Park, Texas, and a team leader with 2nd Platoon, Company I, 3/5. "With the experience that he has you can always learn from him."
After Shelvy's seven month tour in Iraqi s over, he is scheduled to be a Marine Security Guard for an embassy.
"With my luck, they will look at me and notice the two combat tours in Iraq, and send me to an embassy in Baghdad," laughed Shelvy.
--------------------------------------------------------
Semper Fi
-----------------------------------------
3/5 Marine becomes Time Magazine Coverboy
by Lance Cpl. Miguel A. Carrasco Jr.
Marine Corps News
November 29, 2004
FALLUJAH, Iraq - Marine Cpl. Eric M. Shelvy never thought his face would end up on the front cover of a magazine and in millions of bookstores, newsstands and coffee tables across the country.
Shelvy, a squad leader with 2nd Squad, 2nd Platoon, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, was in the heart of Fallujah, Iraq, during Operation Al Fajr when the photo was taken by Time Magazine's photographer Max Becherer. Shelvy can be seen with dirt on his face and screaming for support from his squad while on a patrol in the city.
His emotional "war face' while going house-to-house in search of insurgents and weapons caches was printed on the front cover of the Nov. 22 issue of Time Magazine. The photo caused a stir of media attention for this young Marine and his parents.
"I really didn't think about the picture till I called my mom and she told me that everyone back home was making a big deal out of it," said Shelvy.
Shelvy's "fifteen minutes of fame' will always be on the cover of a well known magazine but he understands that he is still fighting in a war.
"The picture of me on the front cover of Time Magazine represents the company as a whole," said Shelvy. "The intensity of the situation can be shown on my face but it is the realism that we are in a war against insurgents that should also be seen."
With a family history rich with patriotism and men serving to protect their country, it was no surprise that Shelvy joined the Armed Forces to fight the war on terrorism. However, his uniformed forefathers were shocked at his decision to join the Corps.
"My dad was in the Navy and my grandfathers were in the service as well but none of them were in the Marine Corps," said Shelvy.
Shelvy's parents are both natives of St. Louis. Robert Shelvy is a sergeant with the St. Louis County Police Department and Dianne Guerra is a Public Relations director with Marianist Province of the United States.
"I grew up influenced by my father, he taught me the value of hard work and dedication," said Shelvy. He also showed me the importance of setting goals for myself."
After researching all of the different services, Shelvy decided to join the Marine Corps during his junior year of high school.
"I wanted a challenge so I chose the Marine Corps," said Shelvy. "I figured that in order to be the best you have to join the best."
Shelvy graduated boot camp from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego Oct. 11, 2002, with Platoon 2100, Company G, 2nd Battalion.
"It was a great sense of accomplishment to graduate and carry the title "Marine,'" said Shelvy. "While on boot leave I was able to spend time with friends and family before I started infantry school."
During the school of infantry at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Shelvy was taught how to live and survive on the battlefield.
From SOI, he was assigned to 3/5. Less than a month after arriving, Shelvy was deployed to Iraq Feb. 9 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"It was a very fast pace for me, to graduate high school and less than a year later I was fighting in a war on the other side of the world," said Shelvy.
When joining the Marine Corps, Shelvy knew he wanted to be on the front lines, making a difference with the Marines around him.
"When I joined the Marines I didn't know there was anything other than infantry," said Shelvy. "I take pride in the fact that I am a Marine."
With the experience gained from being apart of the first part of OIF, Shelvy has been able to pass on his knowledge, as a squad leader, to his young Marines in the current fight against terrorism.
"(Shelvy) is an extremely good influence on his squad and the Marines around him," said Staff Sgt. Jesse G. Thompson, 29, a native of Orlando, Fla., and a platoon sergeant with 2nd Platoon, Company I, 3/5. "All of the squad leaders in this platoon are the reasons why this platoon is as strong as any other platoon in the company."
"Even though (Shelvy) is a young squad leader he is as smart as our senior squad leaders," said Lance Cpl. Jeremy G. Miller, 22, a native of Deer Park, Texas, and a team leader with 2nd Platoon, Company I, 3/5. "With the experience that he has you can always learn from him."
After Shelvy's seven month tour in Iraqi s over, he is scheduled to be a Marine Security Guard for an embassy.
"With my luck, they will look at me and notice the two combat tours in Iraq, and send me to an embassy in Baghdad," laughed Shelvy.
--------------------------------------------------------
Semper Fi
