Who is Corporal Merriell A. from With the Old Breed, at Peleliu and Okinawa and what is their importance?

Corporal Merriell A. Shelton is an enlisted marine and a veteran of Cape Gloucester. He is from Louisiana and is the gun captain and nearly-constant companion of Sledge. Surprisingly, little biographical data are offered for Shelton other than that he smokes, has a good sense of humor, and is a typical marine in most respects. Sledge admires him and finds his company enjoyable. Shelton and Sledge are assigned to the same mortar on both Peleliu and Okinawa, and hence nearly everything that Sledge experiences is also experienced by Shelton.