SGT. TAMBA, FOLLEH S.
Sgt. Folleh has had the kind of life that would have stopped someone without his strong will and sense of obligation to his family and his country. Folleh S. Tamba was born on April 25, 1977 in Chicago, Illinois by a West African parent. His parents were studying medicine and sent Folleh, at thirteen months, sent him to West Africa, Sierra Leone to live with his grandmother. In 1986 his parents moved to Monrovia, Liberia, and he joined them. His early education was under the supervision of his grandmother. He was later in life enroll at St. Peter’s Elementary and High School. He was only enrolled for four years before the 1990 civil war erupted, he was so backward in his education and unable to read and write at this time that he nearly gave up on education in general.
The civil war in Monrovia displaced the Tamba Family to a refugee camp with only the clothes they were wearing. He started to help his mother to get money to feed his starving family. At age 12, he sold cigarettes and burned charcoal for cooking. After surviving this bloody civil war which left many of his family and friends killed or wounded, the education system was completely destroyed.
America and the United States Marine Corps intervened bring a cease fire. His mother went to America, and Folleh left to care for himself and his sibling until his mother could establish herself in America and send for them. He continued to sell fruit and cigarettes to take care of his family who had lost everything in the war. In late 1994 Folleh’s Mother finally send for him and his sibling to come to America, after three years of working as a registered nurse in two hospitals sixteen hours work days.
1995, Folleh was enrolled in Amundsen High school Chicago at the age of 18 in tenth grades. He could hardly speak English. In 1997 he graduated from Amundsen where he has been a member of the drama club and designed many of the stage sets for his high school play. 1998, he attended Wilber Wright Community College starting with basic high school education reading, arithmetic and English. While at Wright College Folleh was also the stage and set designer for the drama classes. In 2000, Folleh enrolled at Columbia College Chicago and attained his first undergraduate studies BA in the art of film and video production.
In 2003, Folleh, no 26, enlisted in the Marine Corps and became an infantry rifleman (0311). After completion of boot camp and infantry school, he joined his battalion in California which was already in completion of its ILOC and deployed in 2004 to Iraq, the forbidding Triangle of Death in support of Operation Iraq Freedom. Folleh participated in Operation Phantom Fury and Operation Plymouth Rock and returned with a combat action ribbon and a purple heart. After returning from his first tour of duty, he directed, shot and produced the documentary film the Triangle of death, released in 2009. It won the Founder’s Award at the GI Film Festival, 3rd place at Macon Georgia film festival, and was an official selection at Dead Center Film Festival in 2009. Many universities, libraries and charity events to support veterans have screen Triangle of Death. One important goal has been educating civilians about the role of the United States Marine Corps in American society and about her returning war veterans.
In late 2005 Folleh and an old school mate founded a production company Wolfdogfilms. Triangle of Death was their first release. Shooting is complete on 400 Days, The Float, Parking Ticket, The Line of Departure, and Amphibious Monster. Each project is in the post production phase. From 2004 to the present, Folleh has completed four tours of duty that has led him all over the world and he feels honored to have a chance to document his experiences serving his country with his fellow Marines. His goal is to educate the American public about American Marines and their drive for mission accomplished under any condition.
Folleh S. Tamba