WASHINGTON - A young Marine who fell on a hand grenade in Iraq two years
ago, giving his life to save comrades, was given the Medal of Honor Thursday by
US President George W. Bush, becoming only the second Iraq war recipient of the
prestigious award.
Tears run down the cheek of US President George W. Bush
during a ceremony in honor of Medal of Honor winner Marine Corporal Jason
Dunham in the East room of the White House in Washington January 11, 2007.
Corporal Dunham was killed when he jumped on a grenade to save fellow
members of his Marine patrol while serving in Iraq. [Reuters]
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Bush awarded the medal, the
highest US military decoration, to the late Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham. Dunham's
parents accepted on their son's behalf during the somber ceremony in the White
House's East Room.
"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,' " the president said. "Corporal Dunham took that promise
seriously and would give his own life to make it good."
Immediately after, Bush left for an Army fort in Georgia that must now send
troops off to Iraq more quickly than expected.
Thursday's agenda of military themes came as Bush's new Iraq war plan faced a
showdown with the Democrats who lead Congress and oppose the plan's centerpiece
_ another escalation in the American force level. In a speech to the United
States Wednesday night, Bush said he would send 21,500 additional US forces to
Iraq to try to stabilize Baghdad and troubled Anbar province, despite objections
from lawmakers, some of his own generals and the public.
In April 2004, Dunham, a 22-year-old corporal, received a report that a
Marine convoy had been ambushed, according to a Marine Corps account. Dunham led
his men to the site near Husaybah, halting a convoy of departing cars. An
insurgent in one of the vehicles grabbed him by the throat when he went to
search the car and the two fought. A grenade was dropped, and Dunham covered the
explosive with his Kevlar helmet, which along with his chest plate absorbed some
of the blast.
He died a few days later.
"I've lost my son but he became a part of history," Dunham's mother, Deb,
said after the ceremony. "It still hurts as a parent, but the pride that you
have from knowing he did the right thing makes it easier."
At Fort Benning, Georgia, Bush was to have lunch with about 200 soldiers and
100 of their family members before delivering a speech that revisits his
retooled war strategy.
The president also was to watch a demonstration of infantry training and meet
privately with families who have lost loved ones.
The 3rd Brigade of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Benning,
will deploy early to Iraq to support Bush's plan. Soldiers there were in line to
go to Iraq in the coming months, and that timetable has been
accelerated.