Destroyer Named for Marine

From the Military Times -

The name of a Marine who gave his life to save his comrades in Iraq will grace a new destroyer, the Navy announced Tuesday.

Cpl. Jason Dunham received the Medal of Honor on Jan. 11 for his actions April 14, 2004, when he grappled with an insurgent after his unit was ambushed in Karabilah, Iraq. Dunham threw himself on a live grenade to shield fellow Marines and, although he survived the initial explosion, died of his injuries after 10 days.

Navy Secretary Donald Winter plans to officially announce the ship’s name Friday in Dunham’s hometown of Scio, N.Y.
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Dunham is the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor since the advent of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

A machine gunner for Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Dunham was 22 years old when he died. The Navy provided an account of Dunham’s heroic actions:

“On April 14, 2004, Dunham’s squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in Karabilah when his Battalion Commander’s convoy was ambushed. When Dunham’s squad approached to provide fire support, an Iraqi insurgent leapt out of a vehicle and attacked Dunham. As Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground, he noticed that the enemy fighter had a grenade in his hand. Dunham immediately alerted his fellow Marines, and when the enemy dropped the live grenade, Dunham took off his Kevlar helmet, covered the grenade, and threw himself on top to smother the blast. In an ultimate selfless act of courage, in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of two fellow Marines.”

The Military Times is not run by any government entity, it is a Gannett News Company service. Each branch of the military actually has its own respective publication. With a built-in, captive audience and access not necessarily afforded general media the Military Times would certainly have the opportunity to examine issues about which many Americans are concerned. What was the lead story when I visited the website?

Airman to vie for Miss USA crown this Friday

Staff report
Posted : Wednesday Mar 21, 2007 18:21:08 EDT
As an airman, 2nd Lt. Kelly George is used to representing her country. In March, she’ll take a turn representing her state.

George, deputy chief of public affairs for the 314th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., will take the stage as Miss Arkansas on March 23 in the Miss USA pageant, to be broadcast on NBC. If she takes the tiara, George will represent America in the 2007 Miss Universe pageant.

“Kelly represents the Air Force and Arkansas well,” said Brig. Gen. Kip Self, 314th Airlift Wing commander. “She takes to heart the spirit of service in dedicating herself to civic duty and service to the country.”

The lieutenant hit the runway on Monday in Hollywood, Calif., for the pageant’s preliminary rounds wearing a sparkling black-and-white dress. Fans can vote for George to be Miss Photogenic at http://www.nbc.com/Miss_USA_2007/.