Marine Cpl Silva was an infantry rifleman assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, based at Camp Pendleton, California. Silva was killed when he was shot in the abdomen during an ambush. Erik was blessed in life with talent and leadership. He was a quiet, friendly, well-liked kid who played the trumpet in the band, was drum major his last two years, and was a member of the varsity golf team at Holtville High School. In 1998, he graduated and a few months later he joined the Marines mainly because he wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. Before being sent to the Middle East, Erik was a security guard at a U.S. base in Iceland. Friends remember him as an outstanding young man – polite, courteous, a leader, and always prepared. The last time Erik was home, he and his brother had a sobering talk about the risks of war. It was the "Do you have everything set? Do you have all your papers in order? Where can I find it in case of an emergency?" Two months after that visit Erik was dead.
Marine Cpl Silva was an infantry rifleman assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, based at Camp Pendleton, California. Silva was killed when he was shot in the abdomen during an ambush. Erik was blessed in life with talent and leadership. He was a quiet, friendly, well-liked kid who played the trumpet in the band, was drum major his last two years, and was a member of the varsity golf team at Holtville High School. In 1998, he graduated and a few months later he joined the Marines mainly because he wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. Before being sent to the Middle East, Erik was a security guard at a U.S. base in Iceland. Friends remember him as an outstanding young man – polite, courteous, a leader, and always prepared. The last time Erik was home, he and his brother had a sobering talk about the risks of war. It was the "Do you have everything set? Do you have all your papers in order? Where can I find it in case of an emergency?" Two months after that visit Erik was dead.
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