Marine of the Week // No Greater Love:

Cpl. Jason Dunham
3rd Battalion, 7th Marines
Iraq, April 14, 2004
Award: Medal of Honor

Cpl. Dunham’s squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in Karabilah, Iraq, when they heard rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire erupt a distance away. Dunham led his Combined Anti-Armor Team towards the engagement to provide fire support to their Battalion Commander’s convoy, which had been ambushed as it was traveling to Camp Husaybah. As Dunham and his Marines advanced, they received enemy fire. Dunham ordered his squad to dismount their vehicles and led a fire team on foot several blocks south of the ambushed convoy. Discovering seven Iraqi vehicles attempting to depart, Dunham and his team stopped the vehicles to search them for weapons. As they approached the vehicles, an insurgent leaped out and attacked Dunham. Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground and in the ensuing struggle saw the insurgent release a grenade. He immediately alerted his fellow Marines to the threat and, aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation, Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast. In an ultimate and selfless act of bravery in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of at least two fellow Marines. (DoD & U.S. Marine Corps photos)