Jason L. Dunham

"All that we have has been given to us. What we do with what has been given, is how we honor those who gave." - Kilo 3 Bravo, Gunnery Sgt. Adam Walker

A hero isn’t someone who has to wear tights, or a colorful costume, or be able to fly, or see through walls. A hero is someone we aspire to be, someone that possesses characteristics that we ourselves wish we possessed. A hero can be a father, a mother a grandparent, a sister, and for some a hero is someone that we have never met, but through stories, we develop the feeling that we know them. At some point in everyone’s life, whether they realize it or not, they find their hero, or become a hero for someone else.

My hero is someone that I aspire to be. Jason L. Dunham possesses incredible characteristics, his core values which I hope to have are that of leadership, service, sacrifice, and, a sense of other. My hero is someone I may not know personally, but someone I hope to keep alive, and aspire to be.

Dunham's Kevlar Helmet (Pfc. Mchael T. Gams / Marine Corps)

Jason L. Dunham was born on November 10, 1981 in Scio, New York. This date would follow Dunham for the rest of his life. To some this is just another date, but to those that know the significance of this date, it’s much more than that. November 10th, is a birthday shared between Dunham, and the United States Marine Corps. After his tragic death in 2001, Jason Dunham was nominated, and received the Medal of Honor; this medal is given to marines who have shown “extraordinary valor without regard to one’s safety.”

On April 14th, Jason Dunham was patrolling a vehicle checkpoint in Karabilah, Iraq, when a man leapt from a car and snatched Dunham by his throat. Dunham spotted a grenade in the Iraqi’s hand and shouted a warning to other Marines. While in the midst of the fight, the insurgent dropped the grenade. Corporal Dunham took off his helmet, dropped to the ground, and covered the explosion as best he could. Jason was flown to a hospital; he suffered numerous injuries from the explosion. After being flown to the hospital, Jason died eight days later, with both his mother and his father by his side. Jason was not only when he died, he will never be forgotten. Though many believe this was the moment Jason became a hero, those that know him, saw him as a hero much sooner. As a teenager, Dunham would put himself between his friends and an adversary in order to protect them from harm’s way. As an older brother, he would warn his sister to watch out for boys. His one dream, which would later become a reality, was to become a state trooper.

Jason L. Dunham’s sacrifice was not in vain, though he lost his life that day, he gave his fellow marines the chance to live. Dunham’s death would later give other marines with the wish to pursue a greater education the opportunity to do so, as well as to gain a sense of leadership.

Jason L. Dunham (Bryan Fritz)

Jason L. Dunham is not only my hero, but a hero to hundreds, and maybe thousands. Jason Dunham became a hero much longer than before he stepped into the military uniform. Jason was taken will always be remembered, not just for his actions in the marines, or for the actions he performed in his earlier life, but for the person that he was, and, the person that he became.