WEBVTT

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- [Marine] "The President of the 
United States, in the name of Congress,

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"takes pride in presenting the 
Medal of Honor, posthumously,

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"to Corporal Jason L Dunham,

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"United States Marine Corps."

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- [CWO4 Dustin Rose] I get home from 
deployment and get the pictures developed

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and there's this picture of him making 
the craziest face before we go out.

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That's ultimately like how I remember him,

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just always joking around

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and trying to get people a little bit more relaxed

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before leaving the wire.

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And then, all right guys,

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let's put our heads on a swivel

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and go put heads on pikes.

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- [Marine] "For services set forth in the following."

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- So, Jason.

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(solemn music)

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He came to us from Kings Bay.

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He actually was

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slowly but surely changing the way we led Marines

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and Kilo Company, at least 3/7.

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- He was a natural-born leader.

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So that was pretty amazing to see.

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- "For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his life,

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"above and beyond the call of duty,
while serving as rifle squad leader."

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- [Mejia] April 14th was not a good day.

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- [Rose] The day that

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everything happened,

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they were going on patrol.

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- [Marine] "On 14 April 2004,

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"Corporal Dunham's squad was
conducting a reconnaissance mission

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"in the town of Karabilah, Iraq."

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- I was actually back at

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Al Qa'im when everything happened.

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And they came over the radio

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that Jason had been hit.

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- [Mejia] I was out on a patrol the

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same timeframe this happened.

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- [Marine] "Corporal Dunham led 
his combined anti-armor team

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"towards the engagement."

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- It was chaos that day. A lot of things were going on at once.

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- [Marine] "As Corporal Dunham 
and his Marines advanced,

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"they quickly began to receive enemy fire.

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"Corporal Dunham ordered his 
squad to dismount their vehicles

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"and led one of his fire teams on foot

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"several blocks south of the ambushed convoy.

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"Corporal Dunham and his team stopped
the vehicles to search them for weapons.

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"As they approached the vehicles,

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"an insurgent leaped out and attacked Corporal Dunham."

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- [Rose] When we were playing darts 
and he'd say, well you brought it up.

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He's was like, I bet if I put my Kevlar over it,

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it would save us all.

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- [Marine] "Corporal Dunham 
wrestled the insurgent to the ground

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"and in the ensuing struggle saw
the insurgent release a grenade.

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"Corporal Dunham immediately
alerted his fellow Marines to the threat."

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- And then, a few weeks later,

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he actually was put in a position where he did it.

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- "Aware of the imminent danger, and without hesitation,

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"Corporal Dunham covered the 
grenade with his helmet and body,

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"bearing the brunt of the explosion

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"and shielding his Marines from the blast.

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"By his undaunted courage,

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"intrepid fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty,

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"Corporal Dunham gallantly gave his life for his country."

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- He acted to help and save others.

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- [Marine] "In great credit upon himself and

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"upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps,

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"United States Naval Service."

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- What do you...How do you honor him?

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This was a gift that you were given and

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whatever you do with this gift is up to you.

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You are not tighter with anybody in this world

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over who you're over there with in combat.

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Taking care of each other, spending 
every waking moment together,

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you're a family.

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Those are guys that I've bled with and cried with

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and I will continue to do that till I die.

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(solemn music)