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thedrifter

01-06-07, 04:31 PM

Fallen Marine to be awarded Medal of Honor on Thursday

By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Sunday, January 7, 2007

Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham will be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on Thursday, the White House has announced.

Dunham, of Scio, N.Y., died in 2004 after he jumped on a grenade to smother the blast and protect two other Marines.

A Marine in Dunham’s company later told Marine Corps News that Dunham “wanted to save Marines’ lives” when he dived on the grenade.

President Bush announced Nov. 10 that Dunham, of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, would receive the award for his actions in an Iraqi town near the Syrian border.

The Medal of Honor ceremony will take place 10 a.m. Thursday at the White House.

The fallen Marine will be the second U.S. servicemember to receive the military’s highest award for valor for service in Iraq. The other, Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, was honored for his actions in April 2003, killing up to 50 members of the Iraqi Republican Guard before dying from a head wound.

A third servicemember, Army Spc. Ross Andrew McGinnis, based out of Schweinfurt, Germany, also has been recommended for the Medal of Honor for his service in Iraq.

McGinnis was killed Dec. 4 in Baghdad after diving on a grenade that had been thrown into his Humvee, saving the lives of four other troops in the vehicle. He already has been awarded the Silver Star for his actions.

Ellie

OLE SARG

01-06-07, 04:58 PM

It should not take this long to screen a recommendation of this type. This young Marine gave his life saving his comrades in arms. Somebody needs to put a candle under the arses of whoever approves these recommendations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SEMPER FI,

thedrifter

01-06-07, 05:34 PM

January 06, 2007
A legacy of valor

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/corporaldunham.jpg

During one of his stints as an embedded reporter with Lima Company, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines, Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Phillips tumbled to the story of Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham (photo above by Mark Edward Dean). In 2004 the Journal published Phillips's riveting account of Corporal Dunham's story: "In combat, Marine put theory to test, comrades believe." Phillips subsequently expanded the Journal story into The Gift of Valor, published in paperback last year.

On Thursday President Bush will present the parents of Cpl. Dunham with the Medal of Honor. President Bush announced the award at the opening of the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico this past November. In the photo above (taken by Phillips), Major Trent Gibson comforted Cpl. Dunham's mother Deb at the museum after the news. Phillips reported the announcement of the award at the time:
"As far back as boot camp, his superiors spotted the quality that would mark this young American as an outstanding Marine: His willingness to put the needs of others before his own," Mr. Bush said. "As long as we have Marines like Cpl. Dunham, America will never fear for its liberty."

On patrol on April 14, 2004, Cpl. Dunham found himself engaged in hand-to-hand combat with an insurgent near the Syrian border. When his attacker dropped a live hand grenade, the Marine made the split-second decision to cover the weapon with his own helmet, shielding two of his men from its full explosive force.

The other Marines staggered away from the blast, injured but alive. Cpl. Dunham suffered deep shrapnel wounds to the brain. He survived eight days in a coma, only to die with his parents at his bedside. He was 22 years old.

"There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about it," said Cpl. William Hampton, one of the Marines fighting beside Cpl. Dunham when the grenade exploded. The explosion left Cpl. Hampton, a 24-year-old from Woodinville, Wash., peppered with shrapnel. "I see my arms, I see my leg. I'm always reminded of it."
In today's Wall Street Journal, Phillips updates the story with a heart-rending profile of the other Marine whose life Cpl. Dunham saved, Cpl. Kelly Miller: "How do you repay a hero's sacrifice?" (I'm afraid that a subscription may be required -- go buy today's Journal). Cpl. Miller, though comforted, encouraged and "adopted" by Deb Dunham, is tortured by survivor's guilt. Phillips's superb story should serve as a reminder that Cpl. Dunham's sacrifice -- as that of so many others -- is one that we will all have to redeem.

OLE SARG I do agree....;)

Ellie

thedrifter

01-06-07, 06:27 PM

We need to Thank dscusmc for given this Outstanding article.... 
 
Thank You Sir! 
 
Ellie 
 
 
How Do You Repay a Hero's Sacrifice? 
 
Three years ago, a fellow Marine gave his life to save Kelly...

grayshade

01-06-07, 06:47 PM

This just shows America's true grit, what one young American would do to save the lives of his brothers in arms. I take my hat for them and remember some old words,"There is no better sacrifice than to give your life for another..."

Oorah, Semper Fi!

And gods speed.

FistFu68

01-06-07, 07:27 PM

:usmc: ALL GAVE SOME~SOME GAVE ALL :usmc:

thedrifter

01-08-07, 07:10 PM

January 08, 2007
Bush to present Medal of Honor to Dunham’s family Thursday

By John Hoellwarth
Times staff

The president will present the Medal of Honor to the family of Cpl. Jason Dunham during a ceremony in the White House’s East Room on Thursday, according to White House officials.

Dunham was an infantryman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, when he was severely wounded in Karabilah, Iraq, on April 14, 2004, after smothering an enemy grenade with his body and helmet to save fellow Marines. He succumbed to his wounds eight days later.

“By giving his own life, Corporal Dunham saved the lives of two of his men and showed the world what it means to be a Marine,” President Bush said during his Nov. 10 announcement that Dunham would posthumously receive the nation’s highest decoration for combat heroism.

Dunham becomes the first Marine to earn the Medal of Honor in more than 30 years and one of only two U.S. service members to be awarded the medal since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Smith was posthumously awarded the medal on April 4, 2005, for his actions in Baghdad during the initial invasion of Iraq on April 4, 2003.

Ellie

thedrifter

01-09-07, 05:53 AM

January 08, 2007
Dunham family to get Medal of Honor Thursday

By John Hoellwarth
Times staff

The president will present the Medal of Honor to the family of Cpl. Jason Dunham during a ceremony in the White House’s East Room on Thursday, according to White House officials.

Dunham was an infantryman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, when he was severely wounded in Karabilah, Iraq, on April 14, 2004, after smothering an enemy grenade with his body and helmet to save fellow Marines. He succumbed to his wounds eight days later.

“By giving his own life, Corporal Dunham saved the lives of two of his men and showed the world what it means to be a Marine,” President Bush said during his Nov. 10 announcement that Dunham would posthumously receive the nation’s highest decoration for combat heroism.

Dunham becomes the first Marine to earn the Medal of Honor in more than 30 years and one of only two U.S. service members to be awarded the medal since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Smith was posthumously awarded the medal on April 4, 2005, for his actions in Baghdad during the initial invasion of Iraq on April 4, 2003.

Ellie

thedrifter

01-10-07, 11:24 AM

Jason Dunham to receive the medal 
Posted By Blackfive 
 
Jay B. sends this link to CNN's report that Marine Corporal Jason Dunham will be awarded thr Medal of Honor. 
 
President Bush on Friday...

thedrifter

01-11-07, 11:05 AM

Marine Who Saved Buddies Gets Medal Of Honor
Only Second Medal Of Honor In Iraq War

UPDATED: 11:54 am EST January 11, 2007

WHITE HOUSE -- A Marine who fell on a hand grenade and gave his life for his buddies in Iraq was recognized Thursday morning at the White House.

Cpl. Jason Dunham was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration. His parents, Deb and Dan Dunham, were given the medal at a White House ceremony.

"On a dusty road in western Iraq, Corporal Dunham gave his own life so that the men under his command might live," President George W. Bush said. "This morning it's my privilege to recognize Corporal Dunham's devotion to the Corps and country."

Dunham was a 22-year-old machine gunner from Scio, N.Y. He was manning a checkpoint near Karabilah, near the Syrian border in Iraq, on April 14, 2004.

"While leading a patrol of his Marines in Karabilah, Corporal Dunham received a report that a Marine convoy had been ambushed. He led his squad to the site of the attack -- where he and his men stopped a convoy of cars trying to make an escape," according to the Corps press release. "As he moved to search one of the vehicles, an insurgent jumped out and grabbed him by the throat. The corporal engaged the insurgent in hand-to-hand combat."

The Army Times reported that Dunham then shouted to the other Marines, "No. No. No. Watch his hand."

He threw himself on the live grenade that was dropped by the insurgent during their struggle. Dunham used his Kevlar helmet and body to smother the blast.

"By his selflessness, Corporal Dunham saved the lives of two of his men, and showed the world what it means to be a Marine," Bush said.

He survived the blast but died a week later at a U.S. hospital.

"As a Marine, Jason was taught that leaders put the needs of their men before their own. He was taught that while America's founding truths are self-evident, they also need to be defended by good men and women willing to stand up to determined enemies," Bush said. "As a leader of a rifle squad in Iraq, Corporal Dunham lived by the values he had been taught. He was a guy everybody looked up to. He was a Marine's Marine who led by example."

Bush praised Dunham for being the kind of person who would stop patrols to play street soccer with the Iraqi schoolchildren.

"He was the guy who signed on for an extra two months in Iraq so he could stay with his squad. As he explained it, he wanted to 'make sure that everyone makes it home alive,'" Bush said. "Corporal Dunham took that promise seriously and would give his own life to make it good. "

Bush also praised Dunham's courage when the president dedicated a new Marine museum in November.

Dunham was only the second member of the U.S. military who served in the Iraq war to be selected for the nation's highest military honor.

Bush announced in November that Dunham would be awarded the Medal of Honor. The announcement was made on Nov. 10, on what would have been Dunham's 25th birthday. It also marked the 231st anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Dunhams family and friends have a Web site and a memorial scholarship fund in his name.

Ellie

thedrifter

01-11-07, 11:06 AM

President George W. Bush's Remarks At Medal Of Honor Ceremony

POSTED: 10:57 am EST January 11, 2007
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

AT PRESENTATION OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR

TO CORPORAL JASON DUNHAM

The East Room

9:55 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Welcome to the White House.

The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor a President can bestow. The Medal is given for gallantry in the face of an enemy attack that is above and beyond the call of duty. The Medal is part of a cherished American tradition that began in this house with the signature of President Abraham Lincoln.

Since World War II, more than half of those who have been awarded the Medal of Honor have lost their lives in the action that earned it. Corporal Jason Dunham belongs to this select group. On a dusty road in western Iraq, Corporal Dunham gave his own life so that the men under his command might live. This morning it's my privilege to recognize Corporal Dunham's devotion to the Corps and country -- and to present his family with the Medal of Honor.

I welcome the Vice President's presence, Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, Senator Ted Stevens, Senator John McCain, Senator Craig Thomas -- I don't know if you say former Marine, or Marine. Marine. Congressman Bill Young and his wife, Beverly; Congressman Duncan Hunter; Congressman John Kline, Marine; Congressman Randy Kuhl, Corporal Dunham's family's United States Congressman is with us. Secretary Don Winter; General Pete Pace; General Jim Conway and Annette; Sergeant Major John Estrada, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps.

I appreciate the Medal of Honor recipients who have joined us: Barney Barnum, Bob Foley, Bob Howard, Gary Littrell, Al Rascon, Brian Thacker. Thanks for joining us.

I appreciate the Dunhams who have joined us, and will soon join me on this platform to receive the honor on behalf of their son: Dan and Deb Dunham; Justin Dunham and Kyle Dunham, brothers; Katie Dunham, sister; and a lot of other family members who have joined us today.

I appreciate the Chaplain for the Navy -- excuse me, for the Marine Corps. I didn't mean to insult you.

I thank Major Trent Gibson -- he was Jason Dunham's commander -- company commander; First Lieutenant Brian Robinson, who was his platoon commander. I welcome all the Marines from "Kilo-3-7" -- thanks for coming, and thanks for serving.

Long before he earned our nation's highest Medal Jason Dunham made himself -- made a name for himself among his friends and neighbors. He was born in a small town in upstate New York. He was a normal kind of fellow, he loved sports. He went to Scio Central School, and he starred on the Tiger basketball, soccer, and baseball teams. And by the way, he still holds the record for the highest batting average in a single season at .414. He was popular with his teammates, and that could be a problem for his mom. You see, she never quite knew how many people would be showing up for dinner, whether it be her family, or the entire basketball team.

He grew up with the riches far more important than money: He had a dad who loved to take his boys on a ride with him when he made his rounds on the dairy farm where he worked. His mom was a school teacher. She figured out the best way to improve her son's spelling was to combine his love for sports with her ability to educate. And so she taught him the words from his reading list when they played the basketball game of "horse." He had two brothers and a sister who adored him.

He had a natural gift for leadership, and a compassion that led him to take others under his wing. The Marine Corps took the best of this young man, and made it better. As a Marine, he was taught that honor, courage and commitment are not just words. They're core values for a way of life that elevates service above self. As a Marine, Jason was taught that leaders put the needs of their men before their own. He was taught that while America's founding truths are self-evident, they also need to be defended by good men and women willing to stand up to determined enemies.

As a leader of a rifle squad in Iraq, Corporal Dunham lived by the values he had been taught. He was a guy everybody looked up to. He was a Marine's Marine who led by example. He was the kind of person who would stop patrols to play street soccer with the Iraqi schoolchildren. He was the guy who signed on for an extra two months in Iraq so he could stay with his squad. As he explained it, he wanted to "make sure that everyone makes it home alive." Corporal Dunham took that promise seriously and would give his own life to make it good.

In April 2004, during an attack near Iraq's Syrian border, Corporal Dunham was assaulted by an insurgent who jumped out of a vehicle that was about to be searched. As Corporal Dunham wrestled the man to the ground, the insurgent rolled out a grenade he had been hiding. Corporal Dunham did not hesitate. He jumped on the grenade, using his helmet and body to absorb the blast. Although he survived the initial explosion, he did not survive his wounds. But by his selflessness, Corporal Dunham saved the lives of two of his men, and showed the world what it means to be a Marine.

Deb Dunham calls the Marine Corps her son's second family and she means that literally. Deb describes her son's relationship to his men this way: "Jay was part guardian angel, part big brother, and all Marine." She remembers her son calling from the barracks, and then passing the phone to one of his Marines, saying, "I've got a guy here who just needs to talk to a mom." Now it's the Marines who comfort her. On special days, like Christmas or Mother's Day or her birthday, Deb has learned the day will not pass without one of Jason's fellow Marines calling to check on her.

With this Medal we pay tribute to the courage and leadership of a man who represents the best of young Americans. With this Medal we ask the God who commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves to wrap his arms around the family of Corporal Jason Dunham, a Marine who is not here today because he lived that commandment to the fullest.

I now invite the Dunhams to join me on the stage. And, Colonel, please read the citation.

(The citation is read. The Medal is presented.) (Applause.)

END 10:04 A.M. EST

Ellie

meanmattgreen

01-11-07, 11:30 AM

I am currently reading a book about this magnificent Marine. Michael M. Phillips wrote A Gift of Valor, it's a great book and memorial to Corporal Dunham. On the 18th of Jan. I am officially a poolee, I will make my trip to meps and get my ship date, but just wanted to say, I hope i can be half of the Marine this guy was.:flag:

thedrifter

01-11-07, 02:48 PM

Medal of Honor for Scio, NY Marine

First Long War Marine to receive Medal of Honor

Corporal Jason Dunham

Medal of Honor presentation

by Collin Bishop, Special Projects Producer WGRZ

Updated: 1/11/2007 2:33:05 PM

Buffalo, NY - The nation's highest military honor was awarded posthumously today to Corporal Jason Dunham, a Marine from Scio, New York.

The following is a brief description from the Pentagon of what Cpl. Dunham did to earn the Medal of Honor.

From the Pentagon:

Cpl. Dunham's squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in Karabilah, Iraq, on April 14, 2004, when a nearby convoy returning to base was ambushed.

Hearing gunfire, Dunham and his squad rushed over to help suppress the attack. He led a team a few blocks south of the immediate ambush site and ordered his squad to block seven vehicles attempting to leave.

As they approached, an Iraqi insurgent jumped out of one of the vehicles and grabbed Dunham by the throat. As Dunham fought the enemy hand-to-hand, two Marines moved in to help.

Dunham noticed that the enemy fighter had a grenade in his hand, and ordered his Marines to move back as he wrestled the insurgent to the ground. The enemy dropped the live grenade and without hesitating Dunham took off his Kevlar helmet, covered the grenade with it, and threw himself on top to smother the blast.

Dunham's actions saved the lives of the other two Marines. Dunham will be the second serviceman and first Marine in the Global War on Terror to receive the Medal of Honor.

In 2004, Schumer wrote to the President asking him to bestow the Nation's highest military honor on the native New Yorker. Senator Schumer released this statement today:

"Corporal Dunham unflinchingly gave what Lincoln deemed 'the last full measure of devotion' and his heroism reflects the true spirit of selflessness, leadership, and courage that the Medal of Honor was established to recognize. Corporal Dunham laid down his life by shielding members of his unit from danger by throwing himself on a live grenade, an act of unbelievable bravery and selflessness that saved the lives of at least two fellow Marines. I was proud to support his nomination and want to personally congratulate his family on behalf of all New Yorkers."

Ellie

ctiley64

01-11-07, 03:35 PM

thedrifter

01-12-07, 04:46 AM

Posted on Fri, Jan. 12, 2007

WASHINGTON
Fallen Marine awarded Medal of Honor

Cpl. Jason L. Dunham died in Iraq in 2004, after he threw his Kevlar helmet and body on an insurgent's grenade, saving the lives of two Marines.
BY JOHANNA NEUMAN
Los Angeles Times Service

WASHINGTON - President Bush awarded the Medal of Honor Thursday to Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, who on a dusty road in western Iraq in 2004 threw his Kevlar helmet and his body on an insurgent's grenade, saving the lives of two Marines while sacrificing his own.

Established by a joint resolution of Congress during the Civil War and presented 3,462 times, the Medal of Honor is awarded for gallantry in the face of enemy attack that is above and beyond the call of duty.

Dunham, who was 22 when he died, is the first Marine to earn the medal since 1970 and the second service member, after Army Sgt. Paul Ray Smith, to receive it for bravery in Iraq.

Bush praised Dunham's heroism during a White House ceremony Thursday.

''By his selflessness, Cpl. Dunham saved the lives of two of his men and showed the world what it means to be a Marine,'' he said.

As her husband, Dan, looked on, Deb Dunham, Jason's mother, fought back tears as Bush presented her with the citation.

Bush had announced last November, at the dedication of the National Museum of the Marine Corps at Quantico, Va., that a Marine was being awarded the nation's highest military honor -- prompting a booming ''Oo-rah!'' from the largely Marine audience.

On April 14, 2004, Dunham, a member of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, based in Twentynine Palms, Calif., was leading a 14-man foot patrol in the town of Karabilah, near the Syrian border.

Radio reports indicated that a nearby convoy of Marines had been hit by a roadside bomb. Dunham and his troops raced to the scene.

''Cpl. Dunham was assaulted by an insurgent who jumped out of a vehicle that was about to be searched,'' Bush said Thursday. ``As Cpl. Dunham wrestled the man to the ground, the insurgent rolled out a grenade he had been hiding.

Cpl. Dunham did not hesitate. He jumped on the grenade, using his helmet and body to absorb the blast. Although he survived the initial explosion, he did not survive his wounds.''

Only weeks before the incident, Marine 2nd Lt. Brian Robinson told The Wall Street Journal in 2004, he and Dunham had discussed theories on how to survive a hand-grenade attack.

Dunham said he believed that his Kevlar helmet would stop a blast, according to Robinson.

In a letter recommending Dunham for the Medal of Honor, Lt. Col. Matthew Lopez, the battalion commander, wrote that the young Marine ``clearly understood the situation and attempted to block the blast of the grenade from his squad members.''

''His personal action was far beyond the call of duty and saved the lives of his fellow Marines,'' Lopez wrote.

Unconscious and suffering irreversible brain damage due to shrapnel, Dunham was transferred to a U.S. military hospital in Germany and then to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

His parents -- his mother is a home economics teacher and his father a factory worker in Scio, N.Y. -- were at his bedside when he died eight days after the attack, grateful to a doctor in Iraq who held their son's hand as he lay in a field hospital, believing that the gesture of kindness kept him alive long enough for them to reach him.

''That's a gift to us,'' Dan Dunham has said.

Ellie

thedrifter

01-12-07, 04:54 AM

January 12, 2007 
Tears Are Shed at the White House for a Marine’s Bravery in Iraq 
By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ 
 
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 — In April 2004, Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, an ordinary recruit from a...

thedrifter

01-12-07, 05:01 AM

President chokes up as he honors a war hero

WASHINGTON - President Bush cried yesterday as he presented the Medal of Honor to the family of a New York Marine who dived on a grenade to save his comrades.

Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham of upstate Scio, N.Y., saved at least two lives by his bravery during a struggle with an insurgent near the Syrian border.

The presentation was made during a solemn ceremony in the East Room of the White House before a packed crowd that included Dunham's family and dozens of his fellow Marines in their dress uniforms.

"I've lost my son, but he became a part of history," said Dunham's mother, Deb. "It still hurts as a parent, but the pride that you have from knowing he did the right thing makes it easier."

The President was clearly moved by the moment, and tears streaked down his cheek.

Dunham is the second member of the military to receive the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for bravery, in the Iraq war.

News Wire Services

http://www.nydailynews.com/ips_rich_content/924-BushTear.JPG

Ellie

thedrifter

01-12-07, 07:02 AM

The President's Tears

New York Sun Editorial
January 12, 2007

Tears slid down the face of the president of America yesterday as he presented the nation's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, to a New Yorker, Jason Dunham, who had been a corporal of the Marines. We've already written about the award in these columns. What struck us yesterday as we watched the ceremony in the East Wing of the White House was the contrast between the posthumous honor for a man who did his duty way beyond its call and the spectacle of the Congress preparing to dig in its heels against an attack on the enemies who slew Dunham and are swarming against our ally in the democratically elected government of Iraq and, strategically, against our own country and Israel.

Marine Corporal Dunham received the award for his actions on April 14, 2004. On that day, during a hand-to-hand struggle with an insurgent, Corporal Dunham spotted a live grenade drop and roll along the ground. He lunged to cover it with his helmet and his body. It is one of the classic actions for which the Medal of Honor has been given over the decades. Dunham's action saved the lives of his two comrades. He died eight days later from injuries he sustained in the blast. Dunham, said Mr. Bush in his statement, "showed the world what it means to be a Marine."

He showed Congress as well. Even as the Democrats were beating their chests against the idea of reinforcing our GIs under fire on the field of battle, Dunham's example stood in defiance. Dunham lived out the famous slogan "leave no Marine behind." Mr. Bush described him as being committed to "make sure that everyone makes it home alive." That's why he signed up for an additional two months of duty with his squad in Iraq even though he knew he might have to pay the ultimate price for his dedication, as he eventually did.

Democrats are lining up to heap scorn on the troop surge the commander in chief has ordered under authority the Congress previously gave him — and maneuver in the Congress to block either reinforcements or the hot pursuit of the Iranians. Dunham's example of what it means to leave no one behind could not stand in sharper or prouder relief. Dunham refused to leave his comrades when given an easy out, and even in death he will inspire Americans to do the same. The cost of war is enormous, something Mr. Bush clearly understands. The tears that slid down his face in public yesterday gave testament to the depth of his feelings. No doubt thousands of others shed them, moved to the quick by the glory of one man's courage.

Ellie

This is only a PR

booksbenji

01-12-07, 03:02 PM

CORPORAL
JASON L. DUNHAM
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Rifle Squad Leader, 4th Platoon, Company K, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines (Reinforced), Regimental Combat Team 7, First Marine Division (Reinforced), on 14 April 2004. Corporal Dunham's squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in the town of Karabilah, Iraq, when they heard rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire erupt approximately two kilometers to the west.

Corporal Dunham led his Combined Anti-Armor Team towards the engagement to provide fire support to their Battalion Commander's convoy, which had been ambushed as it was traveling to Camp Husaybah. As Corporal Dunham and his Marines advanced, they quickly began to receive enemy fire. Corporal Dunham ordered his squad to dismount their vehicles and led one of his fire teams on foot several blocks south of the ambushed convoy. Discovering seven Iraqi vehicles in a column attempting to depart, Corporal Dunham and his team stopped the vehicles to search them for weapons.

As they approached the vehicles, an insurgent leaped out and attacked Corporal Dunham. Corporal Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground and in the ensuing struggle saw the insurgent release a grenade. Corporal Dunham immediately alerted his fellow Marines to the threat. Aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation, Corporal Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast. In an ultimate and selfless act of bravery in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of at least two fellow Marines. By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty, Corporal Dunham gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

Source: http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/862118B78A217B808525726000663A0E?opendocument

other sources: http://websearch.cnn.com/websearch/search?source=cnn&invocationType=search%2Ftop&sites=web&query=Medal+of+Honor+to+Corporal+Jason+Dunham+

:thumbup:

thedrifter

01-13-07, 07:29 AM

Marines honor one of their own

By JULIA LEDOUX
jledoux@potomacnews.com
Saturday, January 13, 2007

Debra and Dan Dunham held hands and fought back tears during a ceremony Friday at the National Museum of the United States Marine Corps that honored their son, Cpl. Jason L. Dunham.

Dunham, 22, a native of Scio, N.Y., was the first Marine since the Vietnam War and the second Iraq war recipient of the Medal of Honor.

"He enjoyed life," Debra Dunham said of her son, who considered the Marine Corps his second family.

Dunham was the leader of a rifle squad with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines in Iraq. The squad was on a reconnaissance mission in Karabilah on April 14, 2004, when a convoy returning to the base was ambushed.

An Iraqi insurgent jumped out of a vehicle and grabbed Dunham by the throat as his squad neared the convoy.

As Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground, he noticed that the insurgent had a grenade in his hand. When the insurgent dropped the grenade, Dunham covered it with his helmet and threw himself on top of it to smother the blast.

Dunham initially survived his wounds, but eight days later at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., with his mother and father at his side, he died.

Dunham's actions saved the lives of his fellow Marines, said Maj. Trent Gibson, Dunham's former company commander, who walked among those gathered for the ceremony at the museum as he recalled the young corporal's life and his passion for the Corps.

"One man can make a difference," Gibson noted, adding that Dunham "gave the life he had for his friends."

Many of Dunham's friends -- Marines wearing dress blues -- listened intently to Gibson's recollections of Dunham's sacrifice, while many civilians brushed away tears.

"I didn't know this was going on today," said Monica Kent, who was visiting the museum with her family from Richmond. "I'm glad it was. It's not often you get to hear about such selflessness. We didn't know Cpl. Dunham, but wish we did."

President Bush presented the Medal of Honor to Dunham's family in a ceremony at the White House on Thursday.

"By his selflessness, Cpl. Dunham saved the lives of two of his men and showed the world what it means to be a Marine," Bush said during the ceremony attended by Dunham's parents, sister, two brothers, Cabinet members, Defense Department and Marine Corps personnel, members of Congress, past Medal of Honor recipients and members of Dunham's unit.

"Jason Dunham was a great warrior, a great Marine," said Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert Magnus on Friday.

Dunham's family was presented with his Medal of Honor flag during the ceremony at the museum. His photo will also be added to the museum's Medal of Honor wall.

Ellie

LancerRKO

01-13-07, 03:17 PM

He was a true example of a Marine.

thedrifter

01-15-07, 02:33 PM

Reactions to ceremony from Deb Dunham and elected officials

By PAUL A. JANNACE /Daily Reporter

WASHINGTON - Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham's second family have done all they could to help his first family get through the toughest of times, but there is one thing they could not do.

“I wanted him here, and I didn't have him,” Deb Dunham said Thursday, following the ceremony to award her son the Medal of Honor.

The Dunhams called the Marine Corps Jason's “second family” and talked about the support they have received, but acknowledged they still do not have what they want the most - their son.

Dunham's father, Dan, said the entire Marine Corps and military share a part of Jason's medal, calling the military personnel “the greatest people on Earth.”

Deb Dunham said Jason did not write many letters while he was overseas, but often picked up the phone to talk to his family. In fact, President George W. Bush, during the ceremony, recalled a story he heard about Dunham when the Scio native handed the phone to a fellow Marine, saying “I've got a guy here who just need to talk to a mom.”

Deb Dunham also talked about the support and compassion her hometown has given her family since Jason's death.

“They've watched over our home and our kids,” Deb Dunham said. “This entire journey hasn't stopped since we got the call that Jason was injured.”

The president talked about Dunham's upbringing, saying his father would take his kids on his rounds to the dairy farm where he worked and his mother, the schoolteacher who used the basketball game of “Horse” to teach him how to spell, using his love of sports to educate him.

“He grew up with the riches far more important than money,” Bush said.

Dunham, who died in April 2004 from injuries suffered when he jumped on a grenade during a struggle with an Iraqi insurgent, saving at least two fellow Marines, received support from Sen. Hilary Rodham Clinton, D-New York, and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, who wrote a letter to the president nominating Dunham for the Medal of Honor.

“I was proud to support his nomination and want to personally congratulate his family on behalf of all New Yorkers,” Schumer said.

Sen. Catharine Young, R-Olean, said Dunham was “an all-American in every way.”

“He was a hometown kid, a high school sports star and a true American hero,” Young said.

The president called Dunham “a normal kind of fellow,” who was popular with his teammates. Dunham played soccer, baseball and basketball for the Scio Tigers and even still holds the school single-season record for batting average at .414.

“Long before he earned our nation's highest medal, Jason Dunham made a name for himself among his friends and neighbors,” Bush said.

The ceremony, obviously emotional, caused the tears of the Dunhams to flow and also the tears of the president.

“It was a humbling experience to see the President of the United States himself brought to tears by the power of the ceremony and Congressional Medal of Honor presentation,” said Rep. John R. “Randy” Kuhl, R-Hammondsport. “It is an event I won't ever forget. Jason Dunham was and will forever be remembered as a true American hero.”

Ellie

thedrifter

01-16-07, 09:14 AM

Honoring a hero
Fallen Marine’s family accepts Medal of Honor at White House
-
Posted : January 22, 2007

For the first time in more than 30 years, a Marine’s actions on the battlefield have been recognized with the highest decoration for combat valor the country has to give.

Cpl. Jason Dunham, a young Marine from upstate New York who jumped on a grenade in Iraq to save his comrades, was honored Jan. 11 in a solemn ceremony at the White House, where President Bush presented his parents with the Medal of Honor.

Dunham, a 22-year-old Scio, N.Y., native who shared his Nov. 10 birthday with the Corps, saved at least two lives by acting quickly during a struggle with an insurgent near the Syrian border.

“On a dusty road in western Iraq, Corporal Dunham gave his own life so that the men under his command might live,” the president said. “This morning, it’s my privilege to recognize Corporal Dunham’s devotion to the Corps and country.”

Bush described Dunham as “a Marine’s Marine” who led by example.

“He was the kind of person who would stop patrols to play street soccer with the Iraqi schoolchildren,” Bush said. “He was the guy who signed on for an extra two months in Iraq so he could stay with his squad.”

The presentation was made in the East Room of the White House before a packed crowd that included Dunham’s family and dozens of his fellow Marines in their dress uniforms.

“With this medal, we ask the God who commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves to wrap his arms around the family of Corporal Jason Dunham, a Marine who is not here today because he lived that commandment to the fullest,” Bush said.

Dunham’s father and mother said after the ceremony that the honor should be shared with their son’s fellow Marines.

“They’re all courageous. It’s as much theirs as it is Jason’s,” Dan Dunham said.

“I’ve lost my son, but he became a part of history,” said Dunham’s mother, Deb. “It still hurts as a parent, but the pride that you have from knowing he did the right thing makes it easier.”

Jason’s “second family,” the Marine Corps, had done everything that could be asked, she said, but she acknowledged they still do not have what they all want most.

“I wanted him here, and I didn’t have him,” Deb Dunham said.

Jason Dunham grew up a popular athlete in the small town of Scio in Alleghany County, where his mother, a home economics teacher, helped teach him spelling by using different words in the basketball game of “horse.” In his hometown, Dunham still holds the local high school’s record for the highest single-season batting average, hitting .414 there before graduating in 1999.

In April 2004, Dunham, who was with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, received a report that a Marine convoy had been ambushed, according to a Marine Corps account. Dunham led his men to the site near Husaybah, halting a convoy of departing cars. According to his award citation, an insurgent in one of the vehicles grabbed him by the throat when he went to search the car. The two fought.

“Corporal Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground and in the ensuing struggle saw the insurgent release a grenade,” his citation reads. “Aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation, Corporal Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast.”

He lived for eight days after the attack, long enough to be transferred to National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Md., where he died with his parents beside him.

The Jan. 11 ceremony was attended by New York state Rep. Randy Kuhl, R-Hammondsport, and several senators, including John McCain, R-Ariz., a former Vietnam prisoner of war.

McCain said the ceremony was “a very moving experience” and a reminder of the “terribly heart-wrenching” sacrifices made by everyday Americans in war.

The Dunhams were to meet later in the day with New York Sens. Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton, who had pressed for Dunham to be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Dunham is the second member of the military to receive the Medal of Honor for service in the Iraq war. The first was Sgt. 1st Class Paul Smith, who also died in action. Two other Marines have been nominated to receive the Medal of Honor posthumously.

— The Associated Press

John Hoellwarth contributed to this report.

Ellie

CplReiber

01-17-07, 10:52 AM

put a candle?? i say someone should take a torch to their asses

thedrifter

01-20-07, 03:53 PM

Tears from Marines

By KATHRYN ROSS/Daily Reporter

WASHINGTON , D.C. - Day 2, Report to check-in and get back on the buses.

No one is quite sure what to expect as they gather in the alcove out of the rain and wait to board the dark blue Marine buses which will take us to the Pentagon and the National Museum of the Marine Corps where ceremonies to honor Medal of Honor recipient Cpl. Jason Dunham are scheduled.

In their dark uniforms the Marines who served with and knew Dunham are looking a little pale from the night before.

NAVY COMMANDER Heidi Kraft is dressed in a gray suit today as she rejoins the group Like everyone else she talks about the Medal Honor ceremony from the preceding day, and of a the young man to which the days are dedicated. She wished she'd known him better.

At the Pentagon we are divided into small groups of 15 and follow a young man in a Coast Guard uniform who walks backwards at all times leading us through the wide corridors of the vast building that is the headquarters for United States military.

No cameras is the cardinal rule as we walk past portraits of men who served as Secretary of War in the early years of the Republic and then those who served as Secretary of Defense in later years.

We walk past a huge, and familiar painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and our guide points out that Thomas Jefferson‘s foot is on top of John Adam's because the author of the venerable document paid-off the artist, so he could always be on top of his rival Adams'. Jefferson also paid the artist to make sure that only his hands are on the hallowed document they're presenting to John Hancock he said.

We pass by gear worn by General MacArthur, and memorabilia from the first and second World Wars and all the nation's conflicts.

After traveling floors dedicated to the Army, Air Force and Marines, we round another corner and step into a broad hallway which looks slightly newer than the rest.

“If you had been standing here at a little after 9 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001 you would be dead. You would have been engulfed by a fire ball that barreled down the hallway reaching almost to the inner circle of the structure,” the guide said

A total of 184 people died when the air liner piloted by terrorists bounced once on the ground losing most of its fuel, and slammed into the Pentagon. The number includes those on the plane, except for the terrorists

“Please take off your hats and your sun glasses when you enter the September 11, Memorial Chapel,” the young man tells the group.

Black granite slabs with the names of those who died in alphabetical order dominate the darkened, quiet room. Everyone is silent.

Stepping outside, into the center courtyard, everyone ducks as an airliner from Reagan International flies not very high over our heads. The guide laughs.

He points to a covered pavilion saying, “Cold War spy satellites believed that building to be the hub of the “real” Pentagon because so many people went in and out of it at certain times of the day. But the most top secret question asked in there was whether you wanted ketchup or mustard on that. It was a hot dog stand.”

The Hall of Heroes is located on the same level as the main concourse and around the corner from stores, restaurants, and banks. None of the 17,000 people working in the Pentagon ever have to leave work to attend to go to the bank or buy a gift. At the end of a short hallway large letters announce the Hall of Heroes.

Inside the Hall three giant renditions of the Medal of Honor - one each for the Army, the Air Force and for the Navy/Marines - dominate the center wall. On either side of the display there are brown, marbled granite panels for each war in which the United States has been involved since the Civil War. There are 3,641 names etched on the first panels. The last is covered by a black cloth.

As the National Anthem is played by a red-coated band, the official party, Dan and Deb Dunham and their three children are escorted to their front-row seats

The Commandant of the Marine Corps General James T. Conway speaks of the “sense of camaraderie” each soldier on the wall felt as they “offered up their lives so that others might live.”

Dunham led his patrol into the midst of battle after hearing an attack on a covey carrying his commander. Falling on a grenade tossed by an Iraqi insurgent, his action saved the lives of two men.

Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter said, “Every generation wonders if it will live up to the previous generation. This generation of young men and women are doing no less.”

Dunham joined the Marine Corps right out of high school in 2003 and reenlisted for a second tour while still in Iraq , in order to make sure “everyone under his command in Kilo Company 3/7 came home alive,” Winter said.

Gordon England , deputy Secretary of Defense tells the Dunhams. “Jason would be extremely proud of you today Š.we are eternally grateful that you gave us Jason.”

The parents pull the drape from the wall panel and underneath it listed under the heading War on Terrorism Iraq, there are only two names - First Sergeant Paul R. Smith and Cpl. Jason L. Dunham.

They take away the cloth on an easel revealing a portrait of their son along side the citation for the Medal of Honor.

Even the Marines in the back of the room have tears on their cheeks.

Quantico, Va., the home of the new National Museum of the Marine Corps is 45 minutes from the Pentagon; it's a quiet, reflective, trip on the bus. People are using words like “moving, poignant, sad and solemn” - not the same words used to express the Medal of Honor ceremony the day before.

The Marine Corps Museum edifice rises above the earth symbolizing the flag rising on Mt. Serabachi , Iwo Jima . Inside bi-planes and Harriers hang in the air, three Marines disembark from a helicopter under enemy fire, while in another section, Marines break over a shore battery in an all-terrain vehicle.

From the highest perch atop a battleship gray deck you can look down at a mosaic tile floor representing the ocean, breakwater, shores and land. There over 100 chairs were lined up as straight as the red stripe on a Marine's trousers.

Everyone was seated when the United States Marine Band began to play. Following the last notes, orders were given for the honor guard to advance, making a sharp right turn, a sharp left and lining up at attention behind the podium facing the audience. They held their rifles in front of them while Medal of Honor winner Ret. Marine Harvey Barnum spoke of honor, and major Trent Gibson prowled through the crowd recalling the Marine he knew, and who personified the name Marine for him. Trent was Dunham's captain.

“Thank you for Jason,” he tells the Dunhams, “Knowing him has made us better Marines, and better citizens.”

Tears fell as General Robert Magnus, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps read, “When the grenade rolled out, Dunham covered it with his helmet. It was an old-school, pineapple-style Mills bomb, and Dunham wasn't going to let it hurt anybody. The explosion dazed and wounded (Lance Cpl. William) Hampton and (PFC Kelly) Miller ... Dunham lay face down with a few tiny fragments in his head. The hard, resin-molded mesh that was his Kevlar helmet was now scattered yards around into clods and shredded fabric ... Dunham had lived his last conscious moment ... ”

General Michael Hagee, then Commandant of the Marine Corps visited the hospital. He hugged Deb and spoke to the parents. He presented Jason with the Purple Heart.

Dan knew what Jason would have wanted, and life hooked up to a machine was not it.

Jason's deterioration was telling Dan that he was not coming back. He told the doctors to tend to patients who could use the attention.

Deb and Dan sat by Jason as doctors cut the life support. Dan said his son's suffering vanished immediately; Jason relaxed and looked more familiar, almost smiling. He let go at 4:43 p.m. April 22, at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

After receiving a light blue flag with 13 white stars, Deb spoke to the crowd saying, “April 2004 was a nightmare where I lost not only my son, but also my best friend. Now we have acquired a Marine family it is loving, strong, gentle and so supportiveŠ. You let us raise our family safe and free, and we have many gifts. Kelly (Miller), Billy, ( Hampton ) Jason gave you a gift of love. I am so proud of him.”

Ellie

thedrifter

02-01-07, 11:04 AM

No Greater Love
by Jeff Emanuel
Updated 02/01/2007 ET

Jason Dunham, of Scio, NY, is just like any other young American male in his mid-20s, except for this important distinction: he's dead.

But it’s not that simple. To be more accurate about Jason -- specifically regarding what it is that really made him different from any other 24-year-old -- you must know this additional context: Jason Dunham, a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps, is no longer with us because he gave his life in Iraq for his Marine Corps brothers, as well as -- indirectly -- for the freedom of every one of us back home. Coincidentally, he shares a birthday (the day before Veteran’s Day) with the Corps; he would have turned 25 last fall on the day that the USMC, which has been fortunate beyond measure to have contained men of Dunham’s quality for over two centuries, turned 231.

Though necessary, it hardly scratches the surface of sufficient repayment to Corporal Dunham, and to his family, that his parents were presented a posthumously-awarded Medal of Honor, the nation's highest possible award for military valor, in his name by President Bush in a January 11 ceremony at the White House.

The Medal, established by Joint Resolution of Congress, can be awarded to an Armed Forces member who “distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against any enemy of the United States, while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force.” Corporal Jason Dunham embodied these principles and requirements to a “T,” and was as deserving of the Medal of Honor as any have been.

What Dunham did to earn this most distinguished of awards is stunning in its selflessness and heroism. According to a brief report of his actions:

On April 14, 2004, Corporal Dunham heroically saved the lives of two of his fellow Marines by jumping on a grenade during an ambush in the town of Karabilah.

When a nearby Marine convoy was ambushed, Corporal Dunham led his squad to the site of the attack, where he and his men stopped a convoy of cars trying to make an escape. As he moved to search one of the vehicles, an insurgent jumped out and grabbed the corporal by the throat.

The corporal engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. At one point, he shouted to his fellow Marines, “No! No! No! Watch his hand!”

Moments later, an enemy grenade rolled out and Corporal Dunham jumped on the grenade to protect his fellow Marines, using his helmet and body to absorb the blast. Corporal Dunham succumbed to his wounds on April 22, 2004.

This amazing sacrifice was the result of a mindset which is as intrinsic to the mind of the soldier as it is foreign to the mind of the civilian. With this act, as well as with the rest of his actions while in the service -- and doubtless before -- Jason Dunham displayed the incredible bravery, love, and selflessness which is the very embodiment of the Gospel of John, chapter fifteen, verse thirteen, which says, “Greater love hath no man than this -- that he lay down his life for his friends.”

As the war in Iraq rages on, and more soldiers are sent to the region in an effort to bring that conflict to a successful conclusion, it is important to remember the sacrifice of men like Corporal Jason Dunham, and to reflect on the fact that America’s uniformed services are full of men and women who would gladly give their lives for their comrades, as well as for every man, woman, and child at home.

America’s armed forces are made up entirely of volunteers who knew the risks when they joined, and who willingly embrace those risks, their accompanying responsibilities, every day, both to protect their homeland and for the greater good of accomplishing their varying missions throughout the world.

So, in remembrance of Jason Dunham, and all of the other brave men and women we have lost in this and other conflicts, take a moment to thank a friend, family member, or total stranger who has served -- or is serving -- this country, for, while they will never seek the praise or thanks of their fellow man, all will appreciate the gratitude. It is the least that we can do to honor those who have kept us both safe and free for the past 230 years that America has stood strong -- and it is largely because of men like Jason Dunham, both in this generation and in future ones, that we shall remain so, despite the attempts of our enemies to the contrary.

Back to the fateful day of April 14, 2004. At the time of the battle in question, Lance Corporal Mark Edward Dean, a close friend of Dunham’s, “didn't recognize the wounded Marine being loaded into the back of his Humvee. Blood from shrapnel wounds in the Marine's head and neck had covered his face. Then Lance Cpl. Dean spotted the tattoo on his chest -- an Ace of Spades and a skull -- and realized he was looking at one of his closest friends, Cpl. Dunham. A volunteer firefighter back home in Owasso, Okla., Lance Cpl. Dean says he knew from his experience with car wrecks that his friend had a better chance of surviving if he stayed calm.”

“You're going to be all right,” Lance Cpl. Dean recalled saying to Dunham as the Humvee raced against the inevitability of time and mortal wounds, on a doomed quest to save the life of a brave Marine whose selfless act had just saved the lives of his comrades.

“We're going to get you home.”

The situation was eerily familiar to Dean, who recalled Dunham’s words to him and their comrades while on a trip to Las Vegas shortly before leaving the US for Iraq, when Dunham told them that he was planning to extend his enlistment and stay in Iraq for the battalion’s entire tour. “You're crazy for extending,” Lance Cpl. Dean said. “Why?”

Cpl. Dunham responded: “I want to make sure everyone makes it home alive. I want to be sure you go home to your wife alive.”

And he did just that. Mission accomplished, Corporal Dunham. Semper Fidelis.

Ellie