Jason Dunham

Jason Lee Dunham (10 November 1981 – 22 April 2004) was a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps who was awarded the Medal of Honor while serving with 3rd Battalion 7th Marines during the Iraq War. While on a patrol in Husaybah, his unit was attacked and he deliberately covered an enemy grenade to save nearby Marines. When it exploded Dunham was seriously injured and died eight days later.

Early life
Jason Dunham, was born 10 November 1981 in Scio, New York, and resided there his entire life with his parents Dan and Deb, and two brothers and a sister. Coincidentally he was born on the 206th anniversary of the founding of the United States Marine Corps. He graduated from Scio High school in 2000, having played basketball for his high school team.

Military service
Dunham joined the Marine Corps in 2000. After graduating from recruit training on 27 October 2000 from Golf Company Platoon 2092, he served as a Security Force sentry at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia until 2003.

In early 2004, he was serving as a squad leader with 4th Platoon, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force. His unit was based in Al-Karābilah. On 14 April 2004, the battalion commander's convoy came under attack near Husaybah, Iraq, and 4th Platoon was dispatched on patrol to investigate. Dunham and his squad intercepted a number of cars spotted near the scene of the attack, which the patrol detained to search for weapons. When the squad approached a white Toyota Land Cruiser and discovered AK-47s, the driver exited and attacked the Marines in an attempt to flee. Dunham responded by closing in for hand-to-hand combat to subdue him. During the fighting, the individual dropped an armed Mills 36M hand grenade. Dunham, to save the rest of his men, deliberately threw himself on the grenade, attempting to use his PASGT helmet to shield himself and others from the explosion, warning the others to "watch his hands." Dunham, the insurgent, and two other Marines nearby were all wounded by grenade fragments. Although the enemy fighter recovered sufficiently to flee the scene, he was shot dead while trying to escape.

Corporal Dunham was severely wounded by the grenade blast, and was immediately evacuated. Within days, he arrived at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland in a coma, where he was being treated for his injuries. After being diagnosed with brain damage and deemed unlikely to recover, he was taken off of life support eight days later, on 22 April 2004. Shortly beforehand, Commandant of the Marine Corps Michael Hagee presented Dunham with the Purple Heart. General Hagee, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps John L. Estrada and Dunham's parents were at his bedside when he died. He was buried in Fairlawn Cemetery in Scio.

In 2004, Michael M. Phillips, staff writer for The Wall Street Journal, wrote an article summarizing Dunham's actions that appeared on page A1 of the 25 May edition. In 2005, Phillips published The Gift of Valor: A War Story, which told Dunham's life story.

Honors and awards
In addition to the Medal of Honor and his other military decorations, Dunham has also received other honors; including being the namesake of a United States Navy Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer, USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) named in his honor, the United States Post Office in Scio, New York was renamed the Corporal Jason L. Dunham Post Office, The Marine Corps Security Force Barracks at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay Georgia was renamed the Corporal Jason Dunham Barracks in his honor, a Crucible warrior's station at both Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. and San Diego, Ca. is named in his honor, the Marine Corps League Chapter in Palm Desert, Ca. is named in his honor,and a chapter of the Leathernecks Motorcycle Club International is named in his honor.

Military decorations
Dunham's awards include:

Dunham also held rifle sharpshooter and pistol expert marksmanship badges.

Medal of Honor
Shortly after his death, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Lopez, Dunham's commanding officer, began the process of nominating him for the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest award for valor in combat. On 10 November 2006, at the dedication of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, President George W. Bush announced that Corporal Dunham would receive the Medal of Honor, making him the first recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in the Iraq War and the first Marine recipient for actions since the Vietnam War.

President Bush presented Cpl Dunham's family with the Medal of Honor in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on 11 January 2007.

Citation
"The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor posthumously to 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 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".''

USS Jason Dunham
On 20 March 2007, the Navy reported that a new Arleigh Burke-class destroyer guided missile destroyer would be named the USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), in his honor. In a formal ceremony in Scio on 23 March 2007, Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter officially announced the naming of DDG-109 after Dunham. The keel was laid at a ceremony on 11 April 2008, at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The ship was christened on 1 August 2009, with Dunham's mother Debra acting as the ship's sponsor. Among family members and officials present at the christening, also in attendance were Dunham's Kilo Company commander, Major Trent Gibson, as well as Sgt Bill Hampton and Cpl Kelly Miller, whose lives he saved, and retired Gen Hagee. A piece of Dunham's helmet is encased in the mast. The Jason Dunham was commissioned on 13 November 2010. The ship's galley, named "Jason's Dugout", is decorated with memorabilia with Dunham's favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees.

Other namesakes


The Marine Corps Security Force Barracks at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay was renamed the Cpl Jason Dunham Barracks in late June 2007.

The Cpl Dunham room is located at the Corporals Course at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina.

A Crucible warrior's station at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina and Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California was named in his honor. When recruits arrive at this station, they will read Cpl Dunham's Medal of Honor citation, and then perform ground-fighting techniques reflecting those Dunham used to defend himself and his fellow Marines leading to his nomination for the Medal of Honor.

A bill to rename the Scio post office, located at 4422 West Sciota Street in Scio, New York, as the Corporal Jason L. Dunham Post Office was submitted to the House of Representatives in December 2005 by Congressman Randy Kuhl. The bill was immediately passed in the House with support from all New York delegation members. With the support of both New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton, the bill passed the Senate. On 14 March 2006, President Bush signed the bill. He also met with Dunham's family, who gave him a copy of The Gift of Valor.

Other honors
The Corporal Jason L. Dunham Scholarship Foundation was established to provide monetary scholarships to Marines and Corpsmen, who wish to pursue a college education at a nationally recognized and accredited institution of higher education.

In February 2008 Robert Ferrigno dedicated the second book in his Assassins trilogy, Sins of the Assassin, to SFC Paul Smith, Corporal Dunham, and LT Michael Murphy.