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It's been said in a variety of ways, all gave some, some gave all. Some men, like Jason Dunham, gave in the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln, in his Gettysburg address, the last full measure of devotion. The year was 2004 and the battles in Iraq were in a fever pitch. The first deployment after the initial invasion, the insurgency was alive and strong, the Marines of 3rd Battalion 7th Marines had been sent to quell the violence Al-Qaim and Huseybah the way only Marines could. Jason Dunham was assigned to Kilo Company as a squad leader with 4th platoon.April 14th, 2004 battalion commander Lt. Colonel Matthew Lopez's convoy came under attack. That was...a bad decision on behalf of the insurgents. Why? Because Kilo Company's 4th platoon was tasked with finding out why the insurgents would do such a stupid, stupid, just erroneously stupid thing. It's like they wanted to get their ass kicked that day. As 4th platoon stopped vehicles to search, the Marines approached a white Toyota Land Cruiser.We wouldn't tell you about the Land Cruiser if it wasn't important. It was a key player in the events that transpired next.Within that Land Cruiser were several AK-47's...the driver, well, he wasn't allowed to have those. He attempted to flee, but Jason Dunham, engaged the insurgent in hand to hand combat. While we weren't there, we're certain Jason was beating the ever living dog crap out of this guy. In a last-ditch effort to win, because he definitely wasn't winning that fight, our asshole insurgent dropped a grenade in close proximity to all of the Marines.
Without hesitating, Jason used his helmet and jumped on top of the grenade. Jason, the insurgent, and several Marines were wounded, but they had been saved for the time being. The insurgent attempted to flee again, only this time to be shot and killed by the Marines. See, stupid, stupid, erroneously stupid thing to do by that insurgent. Don't mess with Marines.Jason never recovered from his wounds, but his fighting spirit lives on in the memory of the entire Marine Corps, and his actions held dear by the members of Third Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his selflessness and devotion to his Marines. Remember him well, and honor him this Memorial Day.Read more stories of American Grit:
