Snafu Shelton

PFC Merriell "Snafu" Shelton (1922–1993) was a U.S. Marine Corps Corporal who famously served in Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division during World War II.Military Service and "Snafu" Enlistment: Born in Louisiana, Shelton joined the Marines during WWII after serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Nickname: He earned the nickname "SNAFU"—an unofficial military acronym for "Situation Normal, All Fouled Up"—because of his cocky demeanor, dark humor, and scrappy fearlessness in combat. Combat: He fought in brutal Pacific campaigns including Cape Gloucester, Peleliu, and Okinawa. Bond with Eugene Sledge Friendship: Shelton met fellow Marine Eugene Sledge in September 1944. Despite different backgrounds, they became close friends, sharing a foxhole and looking out for one another through the horrors of Peleliu and Okinawa. Shelton famously nicknamed Sledge "Sledgehammer".