In the upstairs hallway of Patrick and Lynda Gravenese's home hang pictures, awards, weaponry and memorabilia from their son's military sojourn through basic training at Camp Lejeune, N.C., to active duty in Iraq.

On a separate wall, their most prized possession is displayed alone. An American flag Cpl. Patrick Gravenese Jr. had signed by the men in his battalion with the message, "Freedom has a taste to those who fight and almost die that the protected will never know," scrawled across it.

Today, the Graveneses will proudly hang beside it this week's Time magazine cover that features their son patrolling the mountains of Afghanistan in search of Osama bin Laden.

"We are flabbergasted. This is the most exciting thing to happen to us," the Marine's father said "The cover of Time is reserved for presidents, generals, even Jesus Christ. That's the last place you'd expect o see a soldier." 

Patrick Gravenese Jr. was called to Afghanistan in October with his unit, Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Regiment, 2nd Marine Division.

He had served in Iraq for six months before that, his mother said.

Photo by Robert Nicklesberg/Time Magazine