An emotional President Bush said Friday he would present the Medal of Honor — America's highest military decoration — to a Marine who died when he jumped on a grenade in Iraq and saved the lives of two comrades.
The medal will be given posthumously to Cpl. Jason Dunham of Scio, N.Y., who died on April 22, 2004, of wounds he suffered when his patrol was ambushed near the Syrian border.
"He and his men stopped a convoy of cars that were trying to make an escape," President Bush said during a speech to dedicate a new Marine museum. "As he moved to search one of the vehicles, an insurgent jumped out and grabbed the corporal by the throat."
During hand-to-hand combat with the insurgent, Dunham called out to his fellow Marines: "No, no, no. Watch his hand!"
"Moments later, an enemy grenade rolled out," the President said. "Cpl. Dunham did not hesitate. He jumped on the grenade to protect his fellow Marines. He used his helmet and his body to absorb the blast."
The medal will be given posthumously to Cpl. Jason Dunham of Scio, N.Y., who died on April 22, 2004, of wounds he suffered when his patrol was ambushed near the Syrian border.
"He and his men stopped a convoy of cars that were trying to make an escape," President Bush said during a speech to dedicate a new Marine museum. "As he moved to search one of the vehicles, an insurgent jumped out and grabbed the corporal by the throat."
During hand-to-hand combat with the insurgent, Dunham called out to his fellow Marines: "No, no, no. Watch his hand!"
"Moments later, an enemy grenade rolled out," the President said. "Cpl. Dunham did not hesitate. He jumped on the grenade to protect his fellow Marines. He used his helmet and his body to absorb the blast."
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