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President Bush Presents Medal of Honor to Corporal Jason Dunham

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9:55 A.M. ESTTHE PRESIDENT:Welcome to the White House.The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor a President canbestow. The Medal is given for gallantry in the face of an enemy attackthat is above and beyond the call of duty. The Medal is part of acherished American tradition that began in this house with the signatureof President Abraham Lincoln.Since World War II, more than half of those who have been awardedthe Medal of Honor have lost their lives in the action that earned it.Corporal Jason Dunham belongs to this select group. On a dusty road inwestern Iraq, Corporal Dunham gave his own life so that the men underhis command might live. This morning it's my privilege to recognizeCorporal Dunham's devotion to the Corps and country -- and to presenthis family with the Medal of Honor.I welcome the Vice President's presence, Secretary of Defense BobGates, Senator Ted Stevens, Senator John McCain, Senator Craig Thomas --I don't know if you say former Marine, or Marine. Marine. CongressmanBill Young and his wife, Beverly; Congressman Duncan Hunter; CongressmanJohn Kline, Marine; Congressman Randy Kuhl, Corporal Dunham's family'sUnited States Congressman is with us. Secretary Don Winter; GeneralPete Pace; General Jim Conway and Annette; Sergeant Major John Estrada,Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps.I appreciate the Medal of Honor recipients who have joined us:Barney Barnum, Bob Foley, Bob Howard, Gary Littrell, Al Rascon, BrianThacker. Thanks for joining us.I appreciate the Dunhams who have joined us, and will soon join meon this platform to receive the honor on behalf of their son: Dan andDeb Dunham; Justin Dunham and Kyle Dunham, brothers; Katie Dunham,sister; and a lot of other family members who have joined us today.I appreciate the Chaplain for the Navy -- excuse me, for the MarineCorps.I didn't mean to insult you.I thank Major Trent Gibson -- he was Jason Dunham's commander --company commander; First Lieutenant Brian Robinson, who was his platooncommander. I welcome all the Marines from "Kilo-3-7" -- thanks forcoming, and thanks for serving.Long before he earned our nation's highest Medal Jason Dunham madehimself -- made a name for himself among his friends and neighbors. Hewas born in a small town in upstate New York. He was a normal kind offellow, he loved sports. He went to Scio Central School, and he starredon the Tiger basketball, soccer, and baseball teams. And by the way, hestill holds the record for the highest batting average in a singleseason at .414. He was popular with his teammates, and that could be aproblem for his mom. You see, she never quite knew how many peoplewould be showing up for dinner, whether it be her family, or the entirebasketball team.He grew up with the riches far more important than money: He had adad who loved to take his boys on a ride with him when he made hisrounds on the dairy farm where he worked. His mom was a school teacher.She figured out the best way to improve her son's spelling was tocombine his love for sports with her ability to educate. And so shetaught him the words from his reading list when they played thebasketball game of "horse." He had two brothers and a sister who adoredhim.He had a natural gift for leadership, and a compassion that led himto take others under his wing.The Marine Corps took the best of thisyoung man, and made it better.As a Marine, he was taught that honor,courage and commitment are not just words. They're core values for away of life that elevates service above self. As a Marine, Jason wastaught that leaders put the needs of their men before their own. He wastaught that while America's founding truths are self-evident, they alsoneed to be defended by good men and women willing to stand up todetermined enemies.As a leader of a rifle squad in Iraq, Corporal Dunham lived by thevalues he had been taught. He was a guy everybody looked up to. He wasa Marine's Marine who led by example. He was the kind of person whowould stop patrols to play street soccer with the Iraqi schoolchildren.He was the guy who signed on for an extra two months in Iraq so he couldstay with his squad. As he explained it, he wanted to "make sure thateveryone makes it home alive."Corporal Dunham took that promiseseriously and would give his own life to make it good.In April 2004, during an attack near Iraq's Syrian border, CorporalDunham was assaulted by an insurgent who jumped out of a vehicle thatwas about to be searched. As Corporal Dunham wrestled the man to theground, the insurgent rolled out a grenade he had been hiding.CorporalDunham did not hesitate. He jumped on the grenade, using his helmet andbody to absorb the blast. Although he survived the initial explosion,he did not survive his wounds.But by his selflessness, Corporal Dunhamsaved the lives of two of his men, and showed the world what it means tobe a Marine.Deb Dunham calls the Marine Corps her son's second family and shemeans that literally. Deb describes her son's relationship to his menthis way: "Jay was part guardian angel, part big brother, and allMarine." She remembers her son calling from the barracks, and thenpassing the phone to one of his Marines, saying, "I've got a guy herewho just needs to talk to a mom." Now it's the Marines who comfort her.On special days, like Christmas or Mother's Day or her birthday, Deb haslearned the day will not pass without one of Jason's fellow Marinescalling to check on her.With this Medal we pay tribute to the courage and leadership of aman who represents the best of young Americans. With this Medal we askthe God who commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves to wrap hisarms around the family of Corporal Jason Dunham, a Marine who is nothere today because he lived that commandment to the fullest.I now invite the Dunhams to join me on the stage. And, Colonel,please read the citation.(The citation is read.The Medal is presented.) (Applause.)END 10:04 A.M. 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