
From The Wall Street Journal:
By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS
AL QA’IM, Iraq – Early this spring, Cpl. Jason Dunham and two other Marines sat in an outpost in Iraq and traded theories on surviving a hand-grenade attack.
Second Lt. Brian “Bull” Robinson suggested that if a Marine lay face down on the grenade and held it between his forearms, the ceramic bulletproof plate in his flak vest might be strong enough to protect his vital organs. His arms would shatter, but he might live.
Cpl. Dunham had another idea: A Marine’s Kevlar helmet held over the grenade might contain the blast. “I’ll bet a Kevlar would stop it,” he said, according to Second Lt. Robinson.
“No, it’ll still mess you up,” Staff Sgt. John Ferguson recalls saying.
It was a conversation the men would remember vividly a few weeks later, when they saw the shredded remains of Cpl. Dunham’s helmet, apparently blown apart from the inside by a grenade. Fellow Marines believe Cpl. Dunham’s actions saved the lives of two men and have recommended him for the Medal of Honor, an award that no act of heroism since 1993 has garnered.
If access to the Wall Street Journal Online version of the article is restricted try this alternative story link.
Update: Phillip Carter details the qualifications required to receive the Medal Of Honor, and has additional thoughts on Cpl. Dunham’s nomination. (Via – Jeff Quinton)
Jason grew up very near to my home town. I have created a page for him and other heroes of the War on Terror that I have blogged about:
Heroes