Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Eugene Bondurant Sledge akaberekwa pana November 4, 1923, muMobile, Alabama, kuna Edward Simmons Sledge, chiremba, naMary Frank "Sturdivant" Sledge, mukuru wevadzidzi vechikadzi paHuntingdon College. Akapedza kudzidza paMurphy High School muMobile muchirimo cha1942. Mukoma wake mukuru, Edward Simmons Sledge II, akaberekwa musi waSeptember 10, 1920, uye akanyoresa muUnited States Army. Akaenda kunoshumira munhandare yokuWestern Europe
, akasiya Mauto aine chinzvimbo chaMajor uye akafa musi waSeptember 23, 1985. Eugene akanga ari mwana anorwara uye akarasikirwa nemakore maviri okuenda kuchikoro nemhaka yechirwere chepfari uye chirwere ichi chakamusiya aine kurira kwomwoyo. Zvisinei, apo mugariro wacho wakaderera, mhuri yake yakamukurudzira kunyoresa kukoreji panzvimbo pokujoina uto. Shamwari yake yapedyo youduku Sidney Phillips akanyorawo kuna Sledge kubva kuGuadalcanal ndokumukurudzira kusajoina chinhu chipi nechipi.