“It all started because the lawnmower ran out of gas,” said Maj. Trent A. Gibson, the executive officer of 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, with a chuckle. “If the lawnmower hadn’t run out of gas, I would have never heard the phone ring.”

The voice he heard upon answering was that of a Marine recruiter, explaining what the Marine Corps had to offer the young man from Piedmont, Okla. Neither could imagine the future that Gibson would experience as he enlisted to become one of the few, the proud and the brave.

After twenty-two years as one of the few, Gibson experienced true pride in having served among the undeniably brave.

In the dangerous city of Karabilah, Iraq on April 14, 2004, Gibson, then a captain and the commander of Company K, 3rd Bn,, 7th Marines, went on patrol with his men of 2nd Squad, 4th Platoon.

WHO WAS JASON DUNHAM?
The carefully chosen squad leader for 2nd Squad was a 22-year-old corporal from the small town of Scio, N.Y., by the name of Jason Dunham.

“Cpl. Dunham was the quintessential Marine,” Gibson said. “He was the square-jawed, muscular all-American man you envision when someone says Marine. He had the character to back up his looks, too. There wasn’t a mean bone in his body.”

He earned respect from his men by example, not by intimidation, Gibson said of his leadership style.

“Cpl. Dunham was the kind of guy you would want your daughter to bring home,” he added.

During the patrol, their battalion commander’s convoy was ambushed nearby. Dunham led his Marines south of the ambushed convoy when vehicles began to flee the scene. As the Marines prepared to stop the vehicles, an Iraqi clad in black jumped from a white sport utility vehicle and attempted to choke Dunham. During the scuffle that ensued, the Iraqi dropped a hand grenade.

THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
Cpl. Dunham didn’t falter.

In his last conscious act he threw his Kevlar helmet – then himself – on the grenade, absorbing the blast and saving the lives of his fellow Marines who were nearby.

When the smoke cleared, Dunham lay unconscious on the hard dirt road. His Kevlar ripped into two major pieces and countless shreds by the explosion.

When Gibson arrived on scene, he inspected the small cache of weapons retrieved from the vehicles and noticed a piece of Dunham’s Kevlar leaning against the wall of a nearby building. Once he realized what exactly he had found, he and the Marines in the area scoured the street for any scraps of the Kevlar they could find.

Five years have passed since Dunham’s selfless sacrifice to save the lives of his fellow Marines earned him the Medal of Honor and a Navy destroyer bearing his name.

THE DECISION TO DISPLAY
For five years the pieces of Dunham’s Kevlar were stored within the 7th Marine Regiment–until Gibson began collaborating with Deb and Dan Dunham, Cpl. Dunham’s parents, on the proper way to preserve the history of the helmet.

The three of them had to decide either to donate the helmet to the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Va., to display the helmet on the quarterdeck of the USS Jason Dunham along with his dress blue uniform, seal the entire thing in the destroyer’s mast or simply to bury it.

“At first we were a little uneasy about the notion of displaying it, due to the graphic nature of the object,” Gibson said. “But I mainly didn’t want the significance of the helmet to become lost. It isn’t just Marine Corps property; it was spiritually transformed to a part of the Marine Corps’ living history.”

Eventually they concluded the best way to ensure the legacy of the Kevlar and the history it represents was to donate most of the helmet to the museum, but to save a single shred to be forever sealed in the mast of the ship that bears Dunham’s name.

Gibson contacted Lin Ezell, the director of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, and coordinated to deliver the helmet to the museum during the same weekend the ship’s Mast-Stepping ceremony was being held.

PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER
As Gibson made his way from the Combat Center to the Marine Corps Museum, he carried with him a simple, locked black case with the combination 0-4-2 which represented Cpl. Dunham’s radio call sign of Kilo 4-2.

The case, which was never out of Gibson’s sight, attracted the attention of curious passengers throughout the trip. Gibson left each inquiring commuter with a new memory as he told them the story of what the simple black case held.

Within the first hour of arriving in Washington, D.C., July 9, Gibson made his way to the Marine Corps War Memorial and spent more than an hour sitting on the steps carefully examining the fragments of Dunham’s helmet-pieces he helped collect from the streets of Karabilah.

THE HANDOVER
After ensuring all the pieces were accounted for, he changed into his desert utility uniform and drove to Marine Corps Base Quantico to pick up Sgt. Mark Dean, one of Cpl. Dunham’s close friends and an Owasso, Okla., native, and the pair made the final leg of the journey to the museum together.

As they entered, they were greeted by Ezell and Owen Conner, the uniforms curator at the museum, and escorted upstairs to complete the exchange. Once upstairs, Gibson recounted the story and shared with the small audience the importance the helmet carried with it.

Once Gibson showed what each piece was and how the puzzle fit together, Gibson and Dean deliberated on which piece of the helmet would be appropriate to bring to the USS Jason Dunham to be forever capsulated in the destroyer’s mast.

TOAST TO A HERO
After ensuring the helmet was in competent hands, the history would be displayed for generations to come, and an appropriate piece had been set aside, the group went to the museum’s “Tun Tavern” and shared a toast.

“It’s been a while,” Dean said emotionally.

“It’s been five damn years,” Gibson replied. “Five damn years.”

After their glasses were drained and their stories shared, Gibson and Dean parted ways once again with promises of reunions to come. They parted with the Kevlar that Cpl. Jason Dunham used to selflessly save his fellow Marines’ lives – but not with Dunham. He will live with them forever in spirit and history.

DVIDS
Story by Pfc. Michael Gams

Col. Douglas Thomas, the commanding officer of 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, presents a Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device to Staff Sgt. Philip Crosby, June 10. Crosby earned the award for heroism shown while serving as the assistant effects advisor for Military Transition Team 133, Multi-National Force West from November 2007 to October 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Philip Crosby was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device for heroic achievement and sustained meritorious service during combat operations at a ceremony, here, June 10.

Crosby, who is now assigned to 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, was the assistant effects advisor for Military Transition Team 133, Multi-National Force – West from November 2007 to October 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Crosby and his MTT embedded with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, to protect the Iraqi people and support the local government in the Diyala and Baghdad provinces.

“We went out and patrolled with [the Iraqi Army] almost every day, usually on foot,” said Crosby. “Our main role was to support the Iraqis by controlling air assets, gathering intelligence, planning operations and organizing support such as [AH-64 Apache helicopters] and [explosive ordinance disposal] units.”

According to his award citation, Crosby was assigned to 20 Iraqi scouts, Feb. 17, 2008, when they were ordered to join 20 members of the U.S. Army to conduct a combined raid on the village of Bodija.

After capturing multiple enemy suspects, Crosby and the Iraqi scouts set out on foot in cooperation with the U.S. Army, in pursuit of possible insurgents spotted by air assets.

After a two-kilometer patrol, the U.S. and Iraqi forces came under fierce ambush from insurgent forces.

During the ensuing battle, Crosby exposed himself to enemy fire to communicate and coordinate a counter-attack with the army unit.

While still receiving sporadic enemy fire, Crosby again exposed himself to assist wounded soldiers and escorted the wounded to a helicopter landing zone.

“He stepped up to the occasion, and exhibited some incredible bravery that day,” said Lt. Col. John John Orille, who worked with Crosby in Iraq. “He intuitively thinks on his feet and executes with confidence. His judgment is spot-on at the snap of a finger. No matter what you throw at him, he’s able to assess the situation and take action.”

Crosby’s leadership enabled the battalion to foster an environment of security and stability for the Iraqi people.

“The last time I’d been to Iraq was during the invasion,” said Crosbey, an Inman, S.C., native. “I saw a lot of differences from before – mostly with the people in the towns we went and cleared. You could see the difference two or three days later, because there would be kids playing in the street that weren’t there before.”

DVIDS
Story by Lance Cpl. John Faria

Dan and Deb Dunham, of Scio, N.Y., read their son’s memorial following the barracks dedication in honor of Cpl. Jason L. Dunham at Naval Submarine Base King’s Bay. Dunham was mortally wounded by a grenade during an encounter with insurgents in Iraq in April, 2004, and posthumously received the Medal of Honor on Jan. 11, 2007. Dunham was assigned to the security force company at King’s Bay from 2001 to 2003.

Photographer: Seaman Dmitry Chepusov, Navy Visual News Service

Silver Star – and I believe an excellent candidate for the MOH. He promised his friend that he’d look after his family, and he is. A bittersweet part of the story.

Albuquerque Tribune

During a patrol May 25, 2005, Hunter’s squad was ambushed from a house. His squad leader, Sgt. David Wimberg, was mortally wounded during an initial attempt to quell the ambush.

Hunter, also a sergeant, charged into the house and pulled Wimberg to safety, according to the military. Acting as squad leader, Hunter reorganized his Marines and led them into the house a third time, finally taking it.

Two months later – on July 28 – Hunter’s squad was on patrol near Cykla, when an adjacent squad came under small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire, according to the military. Hunter pushed his squad forward to help. He shot two enemy troops and made two unsuccessful assaults against enemy fire to retrieve a wounded Marine.

He then ran across a fire-swept street to link up with an American tank and guided its fire, allowing the extraction of a mortally wounded Marine, the military says.

Christopher Lyons was killed that day. An ad rep at an Ohio newspaper, he’d left home three months before his daughter, Ella, was born. He’d seen her only in e-mails.

A few weeks later, Hunter got an e-mail from Lyons’ wife, Bethany. She’d found his address among Christopher’s things, she said.

They stayed in touch and eventually, Hunter says, they fell in love. They got married, and their son, Atticus, was born four months ago.

But if he hadn’t fallen in love with Bethany, Hunter says, he’d probably be back in Iraq now. Back in the place he and his buddies called the “Wild West.”

“We’d hear gunfire coming from a village, and we’d find out it was two tribes fighting each other to see who got to fight us,” he says.

“There were a lot of scumbags there; a lot of people who had no problem hurting people, beheading people, torturing people,” he says. “But there were a lot of people who were just poor people stuck in a rotten situation. We were there to help them. I’m proud of what we did.”

Hunter, a member of the Mormon Church who did a two-year mission to Ukraine before joining the Marines, now hopes to be a high school history teacher. He is a junior at the University of New Mexico.

Military.com

Crouched and flattened against a waist-high wall, Marine Sgt. Jeff Hunter could see the muzzle flashes of the enemy AK-47 as it took out chunks of the wall by his head. In the middle of a shoot-out with a fortified insurgent in western Iraq, Hunter never could have known he’d later be hailed a hero.

But two years after that May 2005 firefight – and a year after he finished his Reserve contract – Hunter, 28, received the Silver Star on June 18 at City Hall in Albuquerque, N.M., for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity” in Iraq during the summer of 2005 – including two fire fights in which he pulled a fellow Marine out of enemy fire.

Originally an administrative clerk at Albuquerque-based Delta Company, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, Hunter deployed to Iraq as an infantry fire team leader with Columbus, Ohio-based Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, in March 2005.

In the early hours of May 25, then-Cpl. Hunter set out on foot with Lima Company toward Haditha’s market district in the opening days of Operation New Market.

According to Hunter, the company planned to arrive at the market by sunrise in order to catch insurgents by surprise. He said the trip seemed like any other, until a Marine shot a stray dog that had charged him. About ten seconds later, “all hell broke loose,” Hunter said.

The award citation released by the Corps and interviews with Hunter and his fellow Marines reveal the platoon was ambushed by small arms fire that seriously wounded an officer on the patrol. Sgt. David Wimberg, Hunter’s squad leader, ordered the squad to take a house to their left, where they were receiving fire.

Wimberg hopped the fence and opened the gate for Hunter’s fire team, then kicked in the door and ran inside with Hunter on his heels.

“Sgt. Wimberg barely took a second step into the room before a muzzle to an AK-47 was presented [at his chest] and fired several times,” Hunter said in a recap of the events he wrote after the firefight.

When Wimberg fell to the ground, “I instinctively reached down and grabbed him, pulling him back out of the house,” Hunter wrote. “I dragged him to the right of the door under a window and lay on top of him while I heard him wheeze for us to frag the room.”

Hunter called for two of his squad mates to take Wimberg to their corpsman while he pushed forward with the attack on the house.

“In the back of my mind, I knew that I was now in charge of the squad and I had to get control of the situation,” he wrote.

“Acting as squad leader, [Hunter] reorganized his Marines and led them into the insurgent position…ultimately securing the house with close-range small arms fire and hand grenades,” according to the Corps release. Wimberg later died as a result of his wounds, but Hunter’s actions during the firefight “enabled his company to regain its momentum,” the release said.

Two months later, Hunter’s platoon was tasked with sweeping a couple small towns west of Baghdad the morning of July 28. According to Hunter, the patrol had been uneventful until Cpl. Andre Williams started to knock on the door of a house in Cykla.

“Right as he went to knock, a heavy-machine gun shot him through the door,” Hunter said. That kicked off a four-hour firefight between nine insurgents bottled inside the house and Hunter’s platoon.

When some of the insurgents fled to another nearby house, Hunter maneuvered his squad closer, using their own cover fire to move to a rooftop overlooking the second house.

A couple hours into the firefight, the other two squads were still engaged in the at the first house, but rounds were no longer coming from the second house. When Hunter’s squad cleared the house, they found an empty rocket-propelled grenade launcher, but no shooter.

They moved to the back yard where livestock were frantically running around following the hours of shooting going on around them. In the midst of the chaos, two of Hunter’s Marines broke off to search two small cinder block buildings for enemy fighters.

As Lance Cpl. Christopher Lyons – Hunter’s closest friend in the platoon – crossed the threshold of one of the buildings, he was shot by an insurgent fortified inside.

Hunter and his Marines took cover in a room of the building, which was still under construction. The wall was about three feet high, with huge portions missing for windows, Hunter said.

Crouched against his portion of the wall, about 15 feet from the insurgent’s position, “I could see the muzzle flashes from the doorway [from] the guy shooting…while the AK-47 was just taking chunks out of the wall,” Hunter said.

“It got pretty scary there for a minute.”

During that fight, Hunter “shot two enemies and made two unsuccessful attempts in the face of enemy fire to retrieve a wounded Marine,” the Corps release said.

Hunter “then ran across a fire-swept street to link up with a M1A1 tank, guided it’s fire and directed it to breach the building,” the release added. “This action neutralized one insurgent and allowed the extraction” of Lyons, who had been mortally wounded.

R News

A Navy Destroyer will bear the name of the Allegany County Marine killed in Iraq two years ago.

The Navy’s newest Guided Missile Destroyer, DDG-109 will be named the USS JASON DUNHAM.

Dunham is the Marine Corporal from Scio who died battling insurgents in Iraq in April, 2004. Dunham dove on a grenade and saved the lives of other Marines.

Dunham became the first Marine in the Iraq War to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor.

His parents, sister and brother received the medal in his honor from President Bush in January.

Secretary of the Navy Donald Winters will take part in a naming ceremony for the Destroyer Friday in Scio.

Newsday

The Navy will name its newest guided missile destroyer the USS Jason Dunham, New York lawmakers said Tuesday. A formal ceremony in Scio with Navy Secretary Donald Winters is scheduled for Friday.

Sen. Charles Schumer called the destroyer naming “another fitting tribute to his life and humbling heroism.”

Rep. Randy Kuhl, R-Hammondsport, whose district includes Scio, said the destroyer will be another way to ensure that “Jason and his heroic, selfless acts will long be remembered.”

The Dunham will be an Arleigh Burke class destroyer, one of the deadliest warships afloat.

Reactions from:

Jason’s Mom

“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. [snip] 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.”

A Navy doc who treated Jason

The family and guests were bused to the ceremony on three Marine Corps buses that bore the eerie shadows of stony-faced Marines on their one-way windows that were easier to see out of, than into.

“It’s the impression the Marines want to make,” said Navy Commander Heidi Kraft.

A California girl, Kraft who is in the mental health field, was on duty at the military hospital near Karabilah, Iraq when Dunham was brought in.

“Heidi is an angel. I think she is the only reason Jason got back, because she talked to him and gave him the will to get back to us like he promised,” said Deb Dunham of the woman who has become a family friend.

Kraft said she was honored to be at the ceremony, and asked to have her photo taken with two Medal of Honor recipients who were in attendance. Hundreds of soldiers passed through the hospital but Jason is the one she remembers.

“Rule number one is that young men die in war. Rule number two is that doctors can’t do anything about it,” she said quoting from the popular television show MASH. Kraft has written a book, originally for her children, about her experience in Iraq. “They’re only four now, and they don’t even remember that I was gone. But I want them to know about why their mother was gone for eight months, and some day they’ll want to know,” she reasons.

Little and Brown is publishing the book “Rule No. 2” in October; there is a chapter about Dunham.

Jason Dunham’s coach

Dunham was a friend to everybody except opposing pitchers. A .414 average is impressive enough. So is Dunham’s MVP from that 2000 Scio baseball team. The six-foot Dunham is a decorated champion, but it his actions in Iraq weren’t the first signs of greatness.

“I never would have doubted that he would have done something like that,” said Dunham’s former soccer coach and current Friendship coach, Al Barber.

Barber was not surprised when he heard that Scio’s goal leader in 2000 had given his life placing a helmet over a live grenade to save the lives of two fellow soldiers. The veteran soccer coach had seen Dunham – a striker – displaying the same qualities on the pitch for two years.

“I used an analogy of a woodchuck in the road for my soccer players,” said Barber. “The woodchuck can’t hesitate while crossing the street and neither can a soccer player. That was the first thing I thought of when I heard the news.”

Dunham’s reflexes were not his only qualities to benefit him in every sport he pursued. A local star by his senior year, Dunham wasn’t required to mentor the youth around him. Nobody told him to go the extra mile to make sure the freshman were comfortable on the field. Dunham’s inner-goodness naturally lent itself to bringing the younger guys up to speed.

“He went to talk to the younger kids,” Moretti explained. “Not a lot of the kids do that. He had younger brothers and sisters. I think that always reminded him of what it was like being in that sit uation. He would go talk to the freshman and sophomores. He’d even sit in the stands with them.”

“A lot of people seem to say he was best at baseball,” said Martin. “I thought he was an all-around athlete. He may have shined a lot more in baseball. He was one of those God-gifted kids that could do anything he set his mind to.”

Even those who weren’t necessarily his teammates looked up to Dunham.

“My two sons,” added Moretti. “Matt a junior and Joe a freshman, were ball boys back when I coached. They used to draw pictures of him playing. They loved him, too. They were as hurt as everyone else was.”

Pols speak out

Schumer and Clinton pressed for Dunham to be awarded the Medal of Honor and Schumer wrote a letter to the president after his death, recommending Dunham receives the medal.

“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,” Schumer said. “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.” [snip] “Today’s ceremony was one of the most emotional experiences I’ve had in my time in Washington, if not my life,” said Rep. John R. “Randy” Kuhl, R-Hammondsport. “The Dunhams are an amazing family and they have been through so much. The East Room of The White House was full of soldiers, sailors, veterans, government officials, and friends and family of the Dunhams including many from Allegany County.”

Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, also met with reporters after the ceremony and said a few words about Dunham.

“It’s always a very moving experience,” McCain said. “It reminds us all what is at stake and the sacrifice Americans have made.”

State Sen. Catharine Young, R-Olean, said Dunham’s family reflects his strength.

“He represents the values that we hold dear in the Southern Tier and everyone is truly grateful for his sacrifice,” Young said.

Jason Dunham’s parents received his Medal of Honor from President Bush today.

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.

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2007 – President Bush today presented the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest decoration, to the family of Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham, who died shielding his fellow Marines from a grenade blast in Iraq in April 2004.

“With this medal, we pay tribute to the courage and leadership of a man who represents the best of young Americans,” Bush said before presenting the medal to Dunham’s family at the White House.

Dunham, who grew up in Scio, N.Y., was the leader of a rifle squad with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, in Iraq. Dunham’s squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in Karabilah on April 14, 2004, when a nearby convoy returning to base was ambushed. When Dunham’s squad approached to assist the convoy, an Iraqi insurgent jumped out of a vehicle and grabbed Dunham by the throat. As Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground, he noticed that the enemy fighter had a grenade in his hand. Dunham ordered his Marines to move back, and when the enemy dropped the live grenade, Dunham took off his Kevlar helmet, covered the grenade with it, and threw himself on top to smother the blast.

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

“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.

Dunham is the second servicemember in the war on terror and the first Marine since the Vietnam War to receive the Medal of Honor. His mother, father, sister and two brothers were at the ceremony today, which was attended by Cabinet members, Defense Department and Marine Corps leaders, members of Congress, past Medal of Honor recipients, and members of Dunham’s unit.

Bush spoke about Dunham’s upbringing in upstate New York. Dunham was a star athlete who was popular and a natural leader. His father, a dairy farm worker, and his mother, a school teacher, were devoted parents. “He grew up with the riches far more important than money,” Bush said.

Dunham joined the Marine Corps on July 31, 2000. It was in the Marines that he learned honor, courage, commitment and leadership qualities, Bush said. “As the leader of a rifle squad in Iraq, Corporal Dunham led by the values he had been taught,” he said. “He was the guy everybody looked up to; he was a Marine’s Marine who led by example.”

Bush noted that Dunham’s mother called the Marine Corps her son’s second family. Now that family is embracing her and the rest of the Dunham family as they deal with their loss, Bush said.

Since World War II, more than half of those who have earned the Medal of Honor have lost their lives in the action that earned it, Bush said. “Corporal Jason Dunham belongs to this select group,” he said. “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 the country and to present his family with the Medal of Honor.”

White House

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.)

DoD Photos
Photo captions:

1. U.S. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, left, takes a photo with the Dunham family prior to the start of a Medal of Honor ceremony for their son and brother, U.S. Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham, during a ceremony in his honor at the White House, Jan. 11, 2007. Dunham gave his own life in April 2004 so that the men under his command might live. Defense Dept. photo by Cherie A. Thurlby
2. Dan and Deb Dunham pause during a Medal of Honor ceremony for their son, U.S. Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham, at the White House, Jan. 11, 2007. Dunham gave his own life in April 2004 so that the men under his command might live. The Dunhams were joined on stage by their children, Justin, Kyle, and Katie. Defense Dept. photo by Cherie A. Thurlby
3. In a White House ceremony Jan. 11, 2007, President George W. Bush presents the family of Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham with the Medal of Honor. Dan and Deb Dunham were joined by their children Justin, Kyle and Katie Dunham in the ceremony honoring their son’s sacrifice. Defense Dept. photo by William D. Moss
4. President George W. Bush praises the actions of U.S. Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham during a White House ceremony, Jan. 11, 2007. Dunham, who died in Iraq while protecting two fellow Marines from a grenade blast in April 2004, is the second Marine to receive the Medal of Honor since Vietnam. Defense Dept. photo by William D. Moss

Marine Corps News

When President George W. Bush announced November 10 that a young corporal who made the ultimate sacrifice would be recognized with the Corps’ first Medal of Honor since Vietnam, one 8th Marine Corps District Marine had no doubts about the award’s merit.

While serving as the senior Marine for 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Sgt. Maj. Daniel A. Huff, who is now posted as the RS Dallas sergeant major, was in charge of some 900 Marines patrolling a volatile area in Iraq known as the H-K Triangle, so named for its location near the insurgent strongholds in Husaybah and Karabilah. During an ambush and subsequent fighting the afternoon of April 14, 2004, one of his Marines, Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, performed an heroic act similar to those Marines synonymous with the Corps’ storied past; names like Basilone, Daly, and Butler.

After inspecting an Iraqi police station in Karabilah, Huff and his six-vehicle convoy were headed back to Husaybah to conduct a similar assessment when insurgents ambushed them with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. The battalion commander and several other Marines, as well as the civilian translator, were injured and needed to be evacuated.

“Our first priority was getting our wounded (Marines) to safety,” said Huff. “We were in an L-shaped ambush, so the faster we got to the evacuation site, the better.”

Combined Anti-Armor Team White, Dunham’s unit, was inspecting a nearby water treatment plant for possible use as a Forward Observation Post. Upon hearing the sounds of an ambush nearby, they immediately responded to the area.

“There’s just something about Marines. When they hear a fight, they come running,” said Huff. “When CAAT White heard the explosions, they naturally gravitated toward it.”

While closing on the fight, Dunham and his Marines encountered enemy vehicles and engaged the enemy after dismounting and splitting into two elements. During the fight, an enemy vehicle column approached the Marines. Three insurgents fled the area, but Dunham and two of his Marines quickly ran them down. Cpl. Dunham caught the first insurgent and tackled him to the ground. During the scuffle, Dunham noticed a live grenade in the enemy’s hand and ordered his Marines to back up. The grenade fell, and Dunham instantly threw his Kevlar helmet and body on the explosive as it detonated. His split-second decision-making saved the lives of his fellow Marines, but ultimately cost him his own. He died eight days later at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. with his family at his side.

Huff said talk of nominating Dunham for the nation’s highest military decoration began within a week of the conflict’s end.

“Getting the eye-witness accounts from Marines was the hardest part,” explained Huff. “We were still busy fighting insurgents throughout the area, and we couldn’t pull Marines off the lines to get their version of the story. When the stories started rolling in, we realized how special (Dunham’s) actions were.”

Though Dunham’s actions distinguished himself above the Marines in his unit, the Marines of 3/7 were widely decorated for their actions in and around the H-K Triangle. In all, four Marines received Silver Stars while several others were awarded the Bronze Star.

Though he was serving in a leadership position and sought to teach his Marines lessons in leadership, the young Marines taught as many lessons as they learned, said Huff. Dunham himself was an excellent teacher, he said.

“I learned one very important lesson from Dunham; today’s Marines are just as good as yesterday’s,” he said. “The young men and women in our Corps today are as good as they have ever been.”

Such acts of bravery are spoken with ghost-story reverence throughout Recruit Training and Officer Candidates School, most notably during the Crucible. Having served as both a drill instructor and sergeant instructor, Huff admitted that reading Dunham’s summary of action rivals any object lesson and is equally inspirational.

“What he did is as heroic as anything we teach at boot camp,” said Huff.

In the end, it was Dunham’s split-second decision-making and personal sacrifice that set him apart in Huff’s mind.

“Corporal Dunham’s actions showed he had regard for his fellow Marines over regards for his own life,” said Huff, a Bronze Star with Combat “V” recipient. “He’s a hero to me.”

The 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment Summary of Action was used for this report.

Bill O’Reilly interviewed Jason Dunham’s parents on Monday.

Fox

Ms. Dunham, we’ll begin with you. Why did Jason sign up?

DEBRA DUNHAM, MOTHER OF CPL. JASON DUNHAM: We have four children. And I teach school. Dan works at a factory. And having four children, we couldn’t afford to pay for all four kids to go to college full shot.

Jason knew that the G.I. Bill would be beneficial. And we had talk about several different things. And he chose to join the Marines, knowing he’d get a good education…

O’REILLY: Sure.

DEBRA DUNHAM: …knowing he would get good training. And he would be able to use the G.I. Bill.

O’REILLY: When he got through basic training, never an easy thing, down in Quantico, Virginia.

DEBRA DUNHAM: Yes.

O’REILLY: Very difficult. You must have been proud of him. How did he see his service? Was he happy with it?

DEBRA DUNHAM: Yes, very. He was very proud to wear the uniform of a Marine. The Marines he served with and the Marines that worked with are — were something he was very, very, very proud of.

O’REILLY: And when he was deployed to Iraq, was he happy to go?

DEBRA DUNHAM: I think he was nervous, but Jason felt that there was a job to be done. And that if it wasn’t taken care of there, that we would be fighting it here. And it was his job. And he looked at this as a job.

A young man from Scio New York is about to be honored with America’s highest military honor. I have written about this brave Marine many times. When I read this, I cried.

Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham will be awarded the Medal of Honor. My posts about this extraordinary young man are here.

CNN

President Bush announced on Friday that the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration, will be awarded posthumously to Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham.

In April 2004, Dunham was leading a patrol in an Iraqi town near the Syrian border when the patrol stopped a convoy of cars leaving the scene of an attack on a Marine convoy, according to military and media accounts of the action.

An occupant of one of the cars attacked Dunham and the two fought hand to hand. As they fought, Dunham yelled to fellow Marines, “No, no watch his hand.” The attacker then dropped a grenade and Dunham hurled himself on top of it, using his helmet to try to blunt the force of the blast.

Still, Dunham was critically wounded in the explosion and died eight days later at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.

“As long as we have Marines like Corporal Dunham, America will never fear for her liberty,” Bush said Friday as he announced that Dunham would receive the award. Bush spoke at the dedication of the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia.

“His was a selfless act of courage to save his fellow Marines,” Sgt. Maj. Daniel A. Huff of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, was quoted as saying in Marine Corps News that April.

“He knew what he was doing,” Lance Cpl. Jason A. Sanders, 21, of McAllester, Oklahoma, who was in Dunham’s company, was quoted as saying by Marine Corps News. “He wanted to save Marines’ lives from that grenade.”

In various media accounts, fellow Marines told how Dunham had extended his enlistment shortly before he died so he could help his comrades. “We told him he was crazy for coming out here,” Lance Cpl. Mark E. Dean, 22, from Owasso, Oklahoma, said in Marine Corps News. “He decided to come out here and fight with us. All he wanted was to make sure his boys made it back home.”

“He loved his country, believed in his mission, and wanted to stay with his fellow Marines and see the job through,” Vice President Dick Cheney said when speaking of Dunham’s heroism at a Disabled American Veterans conference in July 2004.

The Scio, New York, native would have been 25 years old on Friday.

In a letter urging Bush to honor Dunham with the Medal of Honor, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, called the Marine’s actions “an act of unbelievable bravery and selflessness.”

Dunham’s story was told in the book “The Gift of Valor,” written by Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Phillips.

Dunham will be the second American to receive the Medal of Honor from service in Iraq. Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith was the other, honored for action near Baghdad International Airport in April 2003, in which he killed as many as 50 enemy combatants while helping wounded comrades to safety. Smith was the only U.S. soldier killed in the battle.

White House

Today, At The Dedication Of The National Museum Of The Marine Corps, President Bush Announced He Will Award The Medal Of Honor (Posthumous) To Corporal Jason Dunham.

• 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.

• Today Would Have Been Corporal Dunham’s 25th Birthday. Corporal Dunham was a native of Scio, New York.

The Medal Of Honor Is America’s Highest Decoration For Valor. The Medal of Honor, established by Joint Resolution of Congress, is awarded in the name of Congress to a person who, while a member of the Armed Forces, 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, or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. Corporal Dunham’s family will be presented the medal at an upcoming ceremony at the White House.

Honoring Cpl. Jason L. Dunham

Wellsville Daily Reporter

SCIO – On a sandy street in the heart of the war in Iraq, a young man from Scio committed an act of valor which cost him his life.

Friday, a ceremony at his hometown post office will commemorate his sacrifice for evermore.

The gift of life Cpl. Jason L. Dunham gave to his fellow soldiers in April 2004 will be recognized when a plaque is unveiled Friday which officially changes the name of the Scio post office to the Cpl. Jason L. Dunham Memorial Post Office. The public is invited to attend the 10 a.m. ceremony on Friday at the post office located at 4422 West Sciota Street. [snip]

A lot has happened in the 25 months since Jason’s parents Deb and Dan Dunham, his siblings Justin, Kyle and Katelyn, his school mates and teachers first heard the well-liked athlete with the mischievous grin had been wounded in action. It started with an eight-day vigil which ended with the Dunhams at their son’s bed side at the Bethesda Naval Hospital near Washington when he died on April 22, 2004.

His funeral service in the Scio gymnasium where Jason was best-known for sinking baskets for the Tigers, was crowded like no game has ever been. A solemn ceremony followed at the Fairlawn cemetery which was attended by hundreds of people.

At Bethesda Dunham was awarded the Purple Heart. He has also been recommended to receive the Medal of Honor.

Over the last two years, Cpl. Dunham was recognized in a nationwide e-poll as the “Most Popular” in the beliefnet.com “Most Inspirational Poll.”

A memorial has been placed in the Scio school in memory of Dunham and honoring all the school’s graduates who are serving in the military.

In the winter following Dunham’s death the book, “The Gift of Valor,” by war correspondent Michael M. Phillips was published. In May 2005 Phillips gave a talk and a slideshow at Scio Central School detailing Dunham’s sacrifice for the students and teachers who knew the young man.

In December 2005 Congressman John R. “Randy” Kuhl, after reading the Philips’ book, and with the blessings of the town board and the Dunham family, introduced a bill into the House of Representatives to rename the Scio post office in honor of the Corporal. It passed the House immediately with the support of all members of the New York delegation. In the early spring at the urging of both New York Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton the bill passed the Senate.

On March 14, in a VIP room at the Rochester Airport, President George W. Bush met with the Dunham family and Kuhl and signed the bill into law. At the time the President said, “Jason’s death was not for naught,” and vowed to see the Iraqi war through.

On April 29, the history room at the new Scio Memorial Library was named in honor of Dunham and dedicated to him and three other Scio soldiers who lost their lives during military action.

Two other Marines survived the attack for which Cpl. Dunham has been recognized.

According to the official military report, “Cpl. Dunham (Jason) was conducting a hasty vehicle check point near the city of Karbala on April 14, (2004) in response to a recent attack on a convoy, when an Iraqi hostile got out of the car, started to run, turned, and pulled the pin on a grenade. Cpl. Dunham put himself between the grenade and his fellow Marines.”

Reprinted from May 26, 2004. NY Daily News

A New Yorker who died saving two other Marines by covering an Iraqi grenade with his helmet and blunting the blast with his body has been nominated for a Congressional Medal of Honor.

Cpl. Jason Dunham was commanding a checkpoint near Karbala on April 14 when a black-clad Iraqi leaped out of a car and grabbed him around the neck, according to the Marines. A strapping 6-foot-1 ex-jock, Dunham kneed the Iraqi in the chest and then both fell to the ground. It was then that he spotted the grenade in his attacker’s hand and called out a warning to the Marines rushing to his aid. His cry was cut short by the blast.

When the smoke cleared, Dunham was laying facedown in his own blood and his Kevlar helmet was shattered. The Marines who tried to help him also were wounded, but they were alive. “He is a genuine American hero,” said a Marine officer at Camp Pendleton in Twentynine Palms, Calif., where Dunham’s unit, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, is based. Dunham is the first U.S. soldier to be nominated for the nation’s highest honor for valor in the Iraq war.

If President Bush approves the award, Dunham’s heroism would be the first act of bravery recognized with the medal since Gary Gordon and Randy Shugart, two Army Delta Force soldiers, died fighting in Somalia. They were posthumously honored with the award 11 years ago.

Mortally wounded when grenade fragments pierced his skull, Dunham lingered for six more days before he died at a military hospital in Bethesda, Md. His parents, Deb and Dan Dunham of Scio, N.Y., were at his side. He was just 22.

Since then, Dunham’s legend has grown and the drive to award him the medal is being spearheaded by his battalion commander, Lt. Col. Matthew Lopez.

Deb Dunham said she did not want to jinx her slain son’s chances by talking about the medal. “I’m aware of the nomination, and if Jason gets this honor, please call me back,” she said. “But right now we’d like to close the door a bit and have a little privacy. We’re still mourning.”

Among those who have testified about Dunham’s bravery are the soldiers he helped save.

More than 1,000 people packed Scio’s high school gym for Dunham’s funeral. “I hope one day I could be half the hero he is,” childhood friend Dean Phillips wrote in an online tribute. “I hear there is a special place for heroes in heaven.”

Hornell Evening Tribune

ROCHESTER – History was changed Tuesday in a quiet VIP room at the Rochester International Airport when President George W. Bush signed a bill to rename the Scio post office in honor of Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham.

It was a “secret, secret,” to everyone involved, but the likelihood the event would take place in New York state with Dunham’s family present was high, after the bill was passed by the U.S. Senate less than two weeks ago.

The resident met privately with the Dunham family, talking with each member and expressing his feelings with a quiet “Oh my,” after learning that Kyle Dunham plans to follow in his brother’s footsteps and become a Marine after graduation from Scio Central School. “He related to us, as a parent who understands what it means to lose a child. He was warm and funny, comfortable to be with, and easy to talk to,” said Deb Dunham.

After speaking to the Dunhams for several minutes, the president brought the group back to task. “He was moving chairs and getting everything ready, saying we have a bill we need to sign,” she said.

Previous post titled Another American Hero

Cpl. Jason Dunham was commanding a checkpoint near Karbala on April 14 when a black-clad Iraqi leaped out of a car and grabbed him around the neck, according to the Marines. A strapping 6-foot-1 ex-jock, Dunham kneed the Iraqi in the chest and then both fell to the ground. It was then that he spotted the grenade in his attacker’s hand and called out a warning to the Marines rushing to his aid. His cry was cut short by the blast.

When the smoke cleared, Dunham was laying facedown in his own blood and his Kevlar helmet was shattered. The Marines who tried to help him also were wounded, but they were alive. “He is a genuine American hero,” said a Marine officer at Camp Pendleton in Twentynine Palms, Calif., where Dunham’s unit, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, is based.

This was posted in my comments:

The Scio Free Library is located in the small (approx 1914) hometown of Cpl. Jason L. Dunham. It is in the process of building a new library that, though not completed, should be ready to move into late October 2004. The board of the Scio Free Library has voted unanimously to name the new library The Cpl Jason L Dunham Memorial Library. They have encountered some heated resistance from a small group of local citizens who oppose change. This has taken the form of vows to stop work on the new building and threats to withhold financial support from individuals and even a local service organization. Members of the service organization have gone so far as saying they may ask for previous contributions to the building fund to be returned.

If you would like to show your support of this memorial please send email to the Director of the Scio Free Library at havensm@stls.org or letters to Scio Free Library, PO Box 77, Scio, NY 14880. If you would like to contribute to completing the building you can send checks c/o of The Building Fund, Scio Free Library, PO Box 77, Scio, NY 14880. It is important that these people know that there is support for this effort. Please do what you can.

Cpl. Jason Dunham was commanding a checkpoint near Karbala on April 14 when a black-clad Iraqi leaped out of a car and grabbed him around the neck, according to the Marines. A strapping 6-foot-1 ex-jock, Dunham kneed the Iraqi in the chest and then both fell to the ground. It was then that he spotted the grenade in his attacker’s hand and called out a warning to the Marines rushing to his aid. His cry was cut short by the blast.

When the smoke cleared, Dunham was laying facedown in his own blood and his Kevlar helmet was shattered. The Marines who tried to help him also were wounded, but they were alive. “He is a genuine American hero,” said a Marine officer at Camp Pendleton in Twentynine Palms, Calif., where Dunham’s unit, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, is based. Dunham is the first U.S. soldier to be nominated for the nation’s highest honor for valor in the Iraq war.

LINK

NY Daily News

A New Yorker who died saving two other Marines by covering an Iraqi grenade with his helmet and blunting the blast with his body has been nominated for a Congressional Medal of Honor.

Cpl. Jason Dunham was commanding a checkpoint near Karbala on April 14 when a black-clad Iraqi leaped out of a car and grabbed him around the neck, according to the Marines. A strapping 6-foot-1 ex-jock, Dunham kneed the Iraqi in the chest and then both fell to the ground. It was then that he spotted the grenade in his attacker’s hand and called out a warning to the Marines rushing to his aid. His cry was cut short by the blast.

When the smoke cleared, Dunham was laying facedown in his own blood and his Kevlar helmet was shattered. The Marines who tried to help him also were wounded, but they were alive. “He is a genuine American hero,” said a Marine officer at Camp Pendleton in Twentynine Palms, Calif., where Dunham’s unit, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, is based. Dunham is the first U.S. soldier to be nominated for the nation’s highest honor for valor in the Iraq war.

If President Bush approves the award, Dunham’s heroism would be the first act of bravery recognized with the medal since Gary Gordon and Randy Shugart, two Army Delta Force soldiers, died fighting in Somalia. They were posthumously honored with the award 11 years ago.

Mortally wounded when grenade fragments pierced his skull, Dunham lingered for six more days before he died at a military hospital in Bethesda, Md. His parents, Deb and Dan Dunham of Scio, N.Y., were at his side. He was just 22.

Since then, Dunham’s legend has grown and the drive to award him the medal is being spearheaded by his battalion commander, Lt. Col. Matthew Lopez.

Deb Dunham said she did not want to jinx her slain son’s chances by talking about the medal. “I’m aware of the nomination, and if Jason gets this honor, please call me back,” she said. “But right now we’d like to close the door a bit and have a little privacy. We’re still mourning.”

Among those who have testified about Dunham’s bravery are the soldiers he helped save.

More than 1,000 people packed Scio’s high school gym for Dunham’s funeral. “I hope one day I could be half the hero he is,” childhood friend Dean Phillips wrote in an online tribute. “I hear there is a special place for heroes in heaven.”

A country boy, from the area I grew up in.

UPDATE:

More articles on this hero’s actions, and the hometown reaction.

Cpl. Jason Dunham of Scio in Allegany County died Thursday afternoon at Bethesda Naval Hospital, Md., according to local broadcast stations and newspapers. Dunham was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, Kilo Company based in Twentynine Palms, Calif. Confirmation of Dunham’s death by U.S. military officials was not immediately available Friday night.

Relatives say Jason Dunham never regained consciousness after sustaining a head injury from shrapnel in the Iraqi city of Karbala on April 14. Dunham was first taken to a Baghdad hospital in critical condition. He was moved to a hospital in Germany where his condition improved and moved recently to the Bethesda hospital, where his parents flew to be with him.

The eldest of four children, Dunham enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2000 after graduating from Scio Central School, 70 miles southeast of Buffalo. His father, Daniel Dunham, said Jason was scheduled to be out of the service in July. “We’re just proud of him, and we’re thankful for the people of Scio for being his friend and our friends,” Dan Dunham, an Air Force veteran, told WKBW-TV.

MilitaryCity.com

Dunham, 22, died just over a week ago from wounds he sustained April 14 in Iraq.

A report from the Marine Corps said Dunham was commanding a check point near Karbala when a man got out of a car and tried to flee. Dunham tackled the man, who then pulled a pin from a hand grenade. Dunham dove onto the grenade before it exploded, the Marines reported. Two other Marines were injured.

Dunham, with K Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, was remembered in Iraq on Thursday at a service attended by more than 500 Marines, sailors and soldiers, the Marines reported.

Dunham “never judged anyone and he never judged the people over there,” friend Justin Lambert said at Saturday’s funeral. “He was just doing his job. He’s going to be missed.”

As a long procession of cars and walkers accompanied the casket to the nearby cemetery, Scio residents sat on their porches and children lined the sidewalk. An American flag was draped above the highway. Dunham’s parents, carrying the tri-folded flag that had draped their eldest son’s coffin, and their three younger children were escorted by the Marines to an awaiting car. “The Marine Corps have really showed us how much this means to them,” said Cpl. Dunham’s father, Dan. “They’ve been very good to us.”

AP

Mourners Saturday filled one of Cpl. Jason Dunham’s favorite places – his high school gym – for the funeral of the Marine, who died in Iraq after using his own body to shield his men from an attacker’s grenade.

The gym, packed with more than 1,500 people, is the largest gathering space in the upstate New York town of Scio, where Dunham grew up. His casket rested beneath a basketball hoop.

Guardian U.K.