Kevin Shea (Marine Colonel)
Kevin Michael Shea | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 14, 1966 |
| Died | September 14, 2004 (aged 38) Al Anbar Province, Iraq |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | June 15, 1988 – September 14, 2004 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. |
| Battles/wars | Gulf War, Iraq War |
| Awards | Bronze Star Medal with Combat V Purple Heart |
Kevin Michael Shea (September 14, 1966 – September 14, 2004) was an American military officer who was killed in Iraq. Posthumously promoted to lieutenant colonel, Shea was the highest-ranking Marine to die in the Iraq War at the time of his death.[1]
A 1984 graduate of Bishop O'Dea High School in Seattle, Washington, Shea accepted an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy, where he was a standout defensive end on the football team, played in the 1987 Freedom Bowl, and was a member of the academy's 1989 national champion rugby team.
After graduating, Shea accepted a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. He completed The Basic School (TBS) and the Infantry Officer’s Course at Quantico, Virginia.
Shea's assignments included Support Company Detachment Commander, for the 9th Communications Battalion in Operation Desert Storm, Liaison Officer for Marine Forces Central Command (MARCENT) G-6, and JCSE Task Force Commander, Combined Special Operations Task Force, during Operation Desert Thunder, and Communications Officer (G-6) Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1), 1st Marine Div, Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
Shea also earned a master of science degree in electrical engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and served as an instructor in electrical engineering and a rugby coach at the United States Naval Academy, where he was revered by the students.[2]
Shea received the Bronze Star a few weeks before his death. He did not inform his family.[3]
When LtCol Shea's deployment ended, he was able to return home. But the new communications officer hadn't arrived yet, so he stayed to assure the safety of his men.
On September 14, 2004, Shea was serving as the Communications Information Systems Officer assigned to Regimental Combat Team 1, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, based in Camp Pendleton, California. He was mortally wounded in a rocket attack on Camp Fallujah in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.[1]
Legacy[edit]
After his death, a highly anticipated rugby match between the Naval Academy, then ranked No. 3 in the nation, and its rival Air Force was canceled when the Navy players decided unanimously to bow out to attend Shea's memorial and interment at Arlington.
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation administers a scholarship in Shea's name. There is a chapter about Shea in In the Shadow of Greatness, written by graduates of the Naval Academy.
The Kevin M. Shea Memorial Unit Award is given annually to a United States Marine Corps unit that makes exceptional contributions to the Corps.[4]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Arlington Cemetery Website For Shea". Retrieved 2012-08-14.
- ↑ [1] Alex Goff "Air Force v Navy Game Honors Hero" Rugby Mag. Oct 5, 2011. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Bronze Star" (PDF).
- ↑ [2]. Retrieved on 14 August 2012.
External links[edit]
- Fallen Hero Documentary produced by Full Focus
This article "Kevin Shea (Marine Colonel)" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
- 1966 births
- 2004 deaths
- American military personnel of the Iraq War
- American military personnel of the Gulf War
- Recipients of the Purple Heart medal
- Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal
- United States Marine Corps officers
- United States Air Force Academy alumni
- Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
- Air Force Falcons football players
