Steven P. Stevens
Lance Corporal, United States Marines
June 13, 1988 – June 22, 2012
Age – 23
Detroit, MI
Operation Enduring Freedom
1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA
Died of wounds received when hit with shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade
LCPL Stevens, who was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, part of the Camp Pendleton-based 1st Marine Division, was killed after saving the life of an injured Marine as their platoon came under heavy fire during a nighttime mission. After Stevens pulled the injured Marine to safety he was hit and killed by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Stevens grew up in northwest Detroit, attending Cass Technical High School and went to Florida A&M University on a swimming scholarship.
As a baby, Stevens had asthma and the doctor suggested finding a sport that would help him breathe. His mother put him in the swimming pool and he had been a swimmer since.
While at FAMU, Stevens helped the Rattlers to a third-place finish and a 2007 northeast championship. When he left FAMU ranked sixth best in the 200 yard backstroke in the school’s record books. He also swam a fourth best time as a Rattler in the 400 meter individual medley.
After two years of college, he joined the Marines to serve his country. He felt he needed to serve. He went to Afghanistan just days before his son was born and never got a chance to see him.