Austin native 23-year old Dakota Meyer will become the first living Marine in 41 years, and only the third living recipient during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor .
Via the Navy Times:
A Marine who repeatedly braved enemy fire in eastern Afghanistan attempting to find and save fellow members of his embedded training team will receive the Medal of Honor, Marine Corps Times has confirmed.
Dakota Meyer was contacted by President Obama on Monday, according to sources with knowledge of the award. He will be the first living Marine recipient of the nation’s highest award for valor since now-retired Sgt. Maj. Allan Kellogg received the medal for actions 41 years ago in Vietnam.
The Military Times said Meyer will be honored for the actions he took Sept. 8, 2009, in Ganjgal, a remote village near the Pakistan border in violent Kunar province, where he charged into a kill zone on foot and alone. Meyer told the Military Times that he carried the four men out of the area, which had been under fire for hours.
Killed in the September battle were Gunnery Sgts. Edwin Johnson, 31, and Aaron Kenefick, 30; 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, 25; Hospitalman 3rd Class James Layton, 22; an Afghan interpreter and at least eight Afghan security forces members, according to the Military Times.
“Already wounded by shrapnel, Meyer found (the Americans) dead and stripped off their gear and weapons, and helped carry them from the kill zone,” the Military Times reported.
You can read more about Sgt. Meyer’s story at Leatherneck Magazine.
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What an incredible human being…
God Bless YOU Sgt. Meyer, Semper Fi, you as well as the loved fallen are loved tremendously and always held in the highest regard…
Our prayers and thoughts are with you and all of those that give their service, minds, hearts, and souls…
Much Love
Thank you, Dakota.
God bless all of those that serve, have served, for your sacrifice has been great, and some it was ultimate. I fail to find better words than, THANK YOU.
Thank you, Cpl. Meyer, for doing the right thing regardless of the risk. You demonstrated the highest quality of a man and a marine by refusing to leave your fellow marines behind.
You make the pride I feel for our military swell up because of your bravery and selflessness.
Semper Fi! Much love & thanks from this Marine Daughter & Army Wife…
When I was a young Soldier, I took the 11 tenants of The Soldiers Creed to heart:
Especially the one that states, “I will never leave a fallen comrade.”
The word NEVER cannot be emphasized enough in that statement. I never had to test that. So I’m exceptionally humbled that the Marine Corps not only instilled that same value in Myers, but that he lived it.
This one value to me was the most important…knowing that no matter what kind of shit we got into, nor if I got out alive or not, I knew without a moment’s doubt or hesitation that the guys on my left and the guys on my right would always make sure that I made it home, dead or alive.
And that meant everything in the world.
Robbie – I stand in awe of those who risk all for their fellow soldiers. One point my husband raised, though, that has me thinking – all of the awards or honors rewarded now are for saving others, not for killing the enemy. Obviously what Cpl. Meyer did was award-worthy, but isn’t this part and parcel of the military’s new policy of rewarding soldiers who stop conflict, rather than win it? What happened to George Scott as General Patton’s dictum (War isn’t about dying for your country, but making the other poor, dumb SOB die for his)?
he killed 8 talban folk confirmed