Jason Dunham (soldier)
Jason Dunham (born November 10, 1981 in Scio , New York - † April 22, 2004 in Bethesda , Maryland ) was a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in 2004 with the 4th Platoon , K Company , 3rd Battalion , 7th. U.S. Marine Regiment , 1st Marine Division , I. Marine Expeditionary Force in the Iraq War . On November 10, 2006, US President George W. Bush announced that Dunham would posthumously receive the Medal of Honor on April 10, 2004 for his actions near Husaybah , Iraq . Dunham was the first Marine to receive this award since the Vietnam War .
Service in Iraq
In early 2004, Dunham served in the 1st Marine Division in Iraq. On April 14, 2004, he led a patrol near Husaybah to investigate an attack on a Marine Corps convoy. His patrol intercepted some cars that had been sighted near the attack site. During the fight, one person threw a hand grenade on Dunham's patrol. To protect his comrades, Dunham threw himself on the hand grenade and tried to protect himself from the explosion with his helmet.
Jason Dunham was badly wounded in the explosion and flown back to the United States . There he was transferred to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where he died of serious injuries eight days later.
Honors
Immediately before his death, Dunham was awarded the Purple Heart . On January 11, 2007, President Bush presented his family with the Medal of Honor in the East Room of the White House .
In November 2010, the US Navy commissioned the USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) , an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer .
In 2004, the post office in Dunham's hometown was renamed Corporal Jason Dunham Post Office .
Web links
- Jason L. Dunham Memorial (English; archived - original offline)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Dunham, Jason |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American Marine |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 10, 1981 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Scio , New York |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 22, 2004 |
| Place of death | Bethesda |