thedrifter
08-27-07, 07:56 AM
War Story: CPL Alfredo Estrella
Memorable Moments of a Young Marine
Jill Hanks
12 News
Aug. 24, 2007 04:50 PM
Alfredo Estrella's face lights up as he reads a letter sent to him by a 12-year-old Phoenix boy. It's one of many that got him through two deployments to Iraq.
Estrella always had an interest in the military, was an active member of the R.O.T.C. program at Maryvale High School, and five days after graduation, he left for bootcamp in the U.S. Marine Corps. "I just wanted to do the right thing and serve my country," Estrella says.
When he landed in Iraq in August of 2004, it was in the dark of night and the old expression, "baptism by fire," rang true. Estrella explains, "We were taking indirect fire, so we were just running." They scattered off the plane with their 80-pound packs and rifles. "Everybody's falling and it's pitch black. It was kind of a hectic night. I thought to myself I've got 7 more months of this."
But in the daylight, he suddenly felt like he was back home in Arizona. "There was nothing desert, nothing but sand, palm trees," he says. "The weather was hot, similar."
Estrella had never been to another country and admits it was a bit of a culture shock, but he enjoying seeing how they lived and learning their culture, their music, their food.
Just like his first night in Iraq, his first convoy was a dose of reality for Estrella, who often drove a 7-ton truck, carrying supplies, like food, ammunition, mail, and even laundry, to troops in the field.
Their precious cargo made them a target to insurgents. "They would try to hit us, try to disable us to where we won't get there," he explains. "They would try hit us with IED attacks and RPGs and the whole nine."
One day that Estrella says is etched in his mind, was four days before his deployment ended and he was about to return home.
Estrella says his worst moment was just a few weeks in to his second deployment. The date was April 2, 2006 and his convoy was coming back from Haditha to their base at Al Asad. "The weather was real bad, I mean it was pouring rain," he remembers.
Eight Marines and a Sailor died in the floodwaters.
Estrella finally returned from Iraq in March of 2007 and he credits a special gift from his grandma for getting him home safe. She told him to pray every night to the necklace that contains an image of St. Jude. He wore it through both deployments and still doesn't take it off today.
"I think it was blessed and it blessed me, kind of the goodness from my grandma. I thought she was always with me," says Estrella. "It kept me safe, it didn't get me a scratch on my body."
Once home, the 22-year-old who had originally planned to make a career out of the Marines, decided it was time to leave the military. He says he did it partly for his mother. "Me being away was hurting her, making her worry all the time. I just didn't want to do that to her anymore," he explains.
Estrella says after his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, he's more grown up, more responsible and has learned to not take life for granted. Looking back, he knows serving in the military was the right thing to do.
"I fought for my country, I fought for my family, and I fought for my little cousins growing up, who I don't want to ever have to experience anything like that," he says. " My country was in need and I answered the call to duty and I'm glad I did it. I'm glad I got to do my part.
He's found it difficult to transition from military life to civilian life. He says he still feels a part of the Marine Corps and isn't used to being home for so long. "I'm used to being home for about seven to ten days and then going back to Camp Pendleton, and doing training, and going on another deployment."
He's not sure what the future holds but he has several ideas. He recently took a job as a school bus driver and he has a passion for drawing and painting, so he thinks he might like to go to art school. Estrella spent some time this summer working with the Foundation for the Blind and would like to continue working with special needs children or disadvantaged or troubled youth. The young man, who says he grew up in a bad neighborhood, believes it would be a good way to give back to the community and help those kids turn their lives around.
Ellie
Memorable Moments of a Young Marine
Jill Hanks
12 News
Aug. 24, 2007 04:50 PM
Alfredo Estrella's face lights up as he reads a letter sent to him by a 12-year-old Phoenix boy. It's one of many that got him through two deployments to Iraq.
Estrella always had an interest in the military, was an active member of the R.O.T.C. program at Maryvale High School, and five days after graduation, he left for bootcamp in the U.S. Marine Corps. "I just wanted to do the right thing and serve my country," Estrella says.
When he landed in Iraq in August of 2004, it was in the dark of night and the old expression, "baptism by fire," rang true. Estrella explains, "We were taking indirect fire, so we were just running." They scattered off the plane with their 80-pound packs and rifles. "Everybody's falling and it's pitch black. It was kind of a hectic night. I thought to myself I've got 7 more months of this."
But in the daylight, he suddenly felt like he was back home in Arizona. "There was nothing desert, nothing but sand, palm trees," he says. "The weather was hot, similar."
Estrella had never been to another country and admits it was a bit of a culture shock, but he enjoying seeing how they lived and learning their culture, their music, their food.
Just like his first night in Iraq, his first convoy was a dose of reality for Estrella, who often drove a 7-ton truck, carrying supplies, like food, ammunition, mail, and even laundry, to troops in the field.
Their precious cargo made them a target to insurgents. "They would try to hit us, try to disable us to where we won't get there," he explains. "They would try hit us with IED attacks and RPGs and the whole nine."
One day that Estrella says is etched in his mind, was four days before his deployment ended and he was about to return home.
Estrella says his worst moment was just a few weeks in to his second deployment. The date was April 2, 2006 and his convoy was coming back from Haditha to their base at Al Asad. "The weather was real bad, I mean it was pouring rain," he remembers.
Eight Marines and a Sailor died in the floodwaters.
Estrella finally returned from Iraq in March of 2007 and he credits a special gift from his grandma for getting him home safe. She told him to pray every night to the necklace that contains an image of St. Jude. He wore it through both deployments and still doesn't take it off today.
"I think it was blessed and it blessed me, kind of the goodness from my grandma. I thought she was always with me," says Estrella. "It kept me safe, it didn't get me a scratch on my body."
Once home, the 22-year-old who had originally planned to make a career out of the Marines, decided it was time to leave the military. He says he did it partly for his mother. "Me being away was hurting her, making her worry all the time. I just didn't want to do that to her anymore," he explains.
Estrella says after his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, he's more grown up, more responsible and has learned to not take life for granted. Looking back, he knows serving in the military was the right thing to do.
"I fought for my country, I fought for my family, and I fought for my little cousins growing up, who I don't want to ever have to experience anything like that," he says. " My country was in need and I answered the call to duty and I'm glad I did it. I'm glad I got to do my part.
He's found it difficult to transition from military life to civilian life. He says he still feels a part of the Marine Corps and isn't used to being home for so long. "I'm used to being home for about seven to ten days and then going back to Camp Pendleton, and doing training, and going on another deployment."
He's not sure what the future holds but he has several ideas. He recently took a job as a school bus driver and he has a passion for drawing and painting, so he thinks he might like to go to art school. Estrella spent some time this summer working with the Foundation for the Blind and would like to continue working with special needs children or disadvantaged or troubled youth. The young man, who says he grew up in a bad neighborhood, believes it would be a good way to give back to the community and help those kids turn their lives around.
Ellie