Edward L. Silverthorn

Hometown: Baroda, MI

PSU Connection: Graduate

PSU Graduation Year: 2011

Degree Type: Bachelors

Major of Study: Letters, Arts & Sciences

Memorable moment in your Penn State career:

Active Duty or Veteran: Veteran

Branch: Marines, Army

Rank: Staff Sergeant

Rate/MOS: 88M

Where/when did you serve: Ed served in the United States Marine Corps as an 0331 (machine gunner) in the early 90’s. Shortly before 9/11, Ed enlisted in the US Army Reserve, deploying to Iraq in 2003 with the 401st Transportation Company from Battle Creek, Michigan. Ed was awarded the Purple Heart Medal for injuries sustained in an ambush in Tal Afar, Iraq. Upon redeployment, Ed transitioned to active duty, serving in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY. Ed deployed again in 2006 to Afghanistan and a final time in 2009 to Iraq. An injury forced Ed to be medically evacuated from Balad, Iraq to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, and finally back to the United states late in 2009. Ed served his final two years in the Wounded Warrior Battalion at Fort Drum.

Awards: Combat Action Badge, Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal (x4), Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, GWOT Expeditionary Medal, GWOT Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Components Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, NATO Medal (ISAF), Overseas Service Ribbon, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon

What was your favorite military assignment/duty station and why?

Edward (Ed) L. Silverthorn, Marines and Army, began his service in the early 1990s in the United States Marine Corps as an 0331 (machine gunner). Shortly before 9/11, Ed enlisted in the US Army Reserve, deploying to Iraq in 2003 with the 401st Transportation Company from Battle Creek, Michigan. Ed was awarded the Purple Heart Medal for injuries sustained in an ambush in Tal Afar, Iraq. Upon redeployment, Ed transitioned to active duty, serving in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY. Ed deployed again in 2006 to Afghanistan and a final time in 2009 to Iraq. An injury forced Ed to be medically evacuated from Balad, Iraq to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, and finally back to the United states late in 2009. Ed served his final two years in the Wounded Warrior Battalion at Fort Drum, while also finishing his bachelors degree from Penn State. Due to multiple injuries over several deployments, retirement was granted in 2011. Ed has five children and has been married to a fellow Penn State alum for 25 years. Following military service, Ed has finished multiple levels of graduate education and serves as a Vice President for a global industrial gas firm.