USS Jason Dunham Christening

USS Jason Dunham Christening

Greater Love hath no man then this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ~ John 15:13

Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham is a true American hero. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously on January 11, 2007. He had died on April 22, 2004 after receiving injuries from a grenade on April 14, 2004. On that fateful day, Cpl. Dunham and his squad were manning a checkpoint in Karabilah, Iraq. An enemy combatant jumped from a car and began choking Dunham. Two of his fellow Marines rushed to his aide, but he shouted to them, ‘No, no. Watch his hand.’ The insurgent dropped a grenade after having attracted more Marines into the vicinity. Dunham took off his Kevlar helmet, placed it over the grenade and then covered the grenade with his own body, shielding his friends from the blast. All three men were wounded. Cpl. Dunham died eight days later.

On Saturday, August 1, 2009, the USS Jason Dunham was christened in honor of this American hero. His mother, Deb Dunham, christened the 510 foot war ship. The USS Jason Dunham is an Arleigh-Burke Class Destroyer. The USS Jason Dunham was christened in Bath, Maine, in the Bath Iron Works Shipyard. His mother said that it was fitting that the ship named for her son is a guided-missile Destroyer.

Retired General Michael Hagee said:

The warship will serve as a reminder that freedom “is paid for by the men and women who wear the cloth of this nation.”

“They are willing to give up everything that is important: love, marriage, children, family, friends,” Hagee said of the 22-year-old Marine. “I can tell you I’ve always stood in awe of that.”

I stand in awe of that as well. What kind of men are these who did sacrifice all for love of country, for the love of their friends.

Only the dead have seen the end of war. ~ Plato

More pictures and a video of the USS Jason Dunham christening are below.