January 08, 2007

Medal of Honor: Cpl. Jason Dunham

Update: Here's the full text of the WSJ article.

This brave Marine will recieve the honor posthumously. Uncommon valor is a common virtue in the Marines, and Cpl. Dunham will continue to carry on the legitimacy of that motto.

The WSJ requires a subscription for its archived stories, so Scott at Powerline excerpted thusly from a 2004 WSJ article on Cpl. Dunham:

"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."

May a flight of angels sing thee to thy rest, Cpl. Dunham. ht: Jules Crittenden

By Good Lt. at 12:12 PM | |