USMC Staff Sgt. Mark Zambon

A Gold-Star in lieu of Second Award Purple Heart recipient, Staff Sergeant Zambon was born in Marquette Michigan on November 3, 1984. He graduated from Marquette Senior High School in May of 2003 and shipped off to Marine Corps Recruit Training in San Diego in June 2003.

After completion of boot camp, PFC Zambon attended Marine Combat Training at the Camp Pendleton School of Infantry and then the basic supply stock school in Camp Johnson, NC. PFC Zambon received orders to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II in February 2004. LCpl Zambon extended his deployment to thirteen months and when he returned to the United States...

LCpl Zambon reported to Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal in Eglin AFB, FL in July 2005, promoted to Corporal in September and graduated the following spring with orders to 1st EOD Company at Camp Pendleton, CA. There Cpl Zambon was subsequently promoted over time to Sergeant then Staff Sergeant and completed deployments in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom from March-October 2007...

The team he trained and led hit the ground running and executed expert EOD support for the company, safing and disposing of over fifty IED's and numerous other support missions; saving Marines lives and limbs and allowing I Co 3/5 freedom of movement throughout their battle space. In January of 2011 while moving dismounted in response to a explosive device through a heavily IED laden urban area...

The blast explosively amputated SSgt Zambon's legs above the knees and is currently undergoing a full Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care (C5) rehabilitation program at Naval Medical Center San Diego. This program addresses every area of healing in the mind, body and spirit and for SSgt Zambon encompasses physical, occupational and recreational therapy, vestibular/balance clinic, prosthetics...