USMC SSGT Charlie Linville

Thomas Charles Linville was born in Boise, Idaho on August 22, 1985. He is the youngest and only son in his family. He has three sisters, Elizabeth, Brooke, and Heather. Charlie graduated from Boise High School in 2004 despite the challenges he faced when his father was diagnosed with stage four Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma during his Freshman year of high school. Eager to pursue his aspirations of service...

After graduating boot camp he attended the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton in May 2006. Sergeant Linville married his high school sweetheart Mandi on August 26, 2006. Having successfully completed SOI training, Sergeant Linville became a 0351, Assault man. He was stationed temporarily with 3rd Battalion 1st Marines, and shortly after found his home with the marines of 3rd Battalion 5th Marines.

Charlie returned from Iraq and decided to pursue his interest in explosives further. He submitted a lateral move to change his MOS from 0351 Assault man to 2336 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician. While awaiting orders to attend Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Sergeant Linville completed on the job training at Base EOD at Camp Pendleton, California.

Sergeant Linville was placed with a new EOD team and continued operations in Sangin. While working with his new team, Sergeant Linville disarmed a multitude of IEDs. On January 20, 2011, Sergeant Linville and his team were responding to an IED detonation. While conducting a sweep of the surrounding area, Sergeant Linville was struck by a tertiary device. The IED blasted Charlie into the air, and...

After Charlie was medically evacuated he was flown to Bastian Medical Center where he underwent surgery on his hand. Next Sergeant Linville was flown to Bagram Air Force Base where he underwent additional surgery on his hand. Once Charlie was flown out of Afghanistan he went to Germany for three nights. He then flew to Bethesda, Maryland for a night and finally reached his destination at Balboa Naval Medical Center.

In spring of 2014, he agreed to come on board with THE HEROES PROJECT to climb Mt. Everest. The climb was halted in April 2014 after 16 sherpas lost their lives in an avalanche and again on their second attempt in April 2015 after the earthquake in Nepal.

On May 19, 2016, Charlie completed the last of The Seven Summits, and became first combat-wounded veteran to reach the top of Mt. Everest.