Congrats!!!!!!

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Corporal Jason L. Dunham (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 14, 2004 at Karabilah, Iraq. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Rifle Squad Leader, 4th Platoon, Company K, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines (Reinforced), Regimental Combat Team 7, First Marine Division (Reinforced), on 14 April 2004. Corporal Dunham's squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in the town of Karabilah, Iraq, when they heard rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire erupt approximately two kilometers to the west. Corporal Dunham led his Combined Anti-Armor Team towards the engagement to provide fire support to their Battalion Commander's convoy, which had been ambushed as it was traveling to Camp Husaybah. As Corporal Dunham and his Marines advanced, they quickly began to receive enemy fire. Corporal Dunham ordered his squad to dismount their vehicles and led one of his fire teams on foot several blocks south of the ambushed convoy. Discovering seven Iraqi vehicles in a column attempting to depart, Corporal Dunham and his team stopped the vehicles to search them for weapons. As they approached the vehicles, an insurgent leaped out and attacked Corporal Dunham. Corporal Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground and in the ensuing struggle saw the insurgent release a grenade. Corporal Dunham immediately alerted his fellow Marines to the threat. Aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation, Corporal Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast. In an ultimate and selfless act of bravery in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of at least two fellow Marines. By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty, Corporal Dunham gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

Technical Sergeant Russell E. Dunham (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on January 8, 1945 near Kayserberg, France. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. At about 1430 hours on 8 January 1945, during an attack on Hill 616, near Kayserberg, France, T/Sgt. Dunham single-handedly assaulted 3 enemy machineguns. Wearing a white robe made of a mattress cover, carrying 12 carbine magazines and with a dozen hand grenades snagged in his belt, suspenders, and buttonholes, T/Sgt. Dunham advanced in the attack up a snow-covered hill under fire from 2 machineguns and supporting riflemen. His platoon 35 yards behind him, T/Sgt. Dunham crawled 75 yards under heavy direct fire toward the timbered emplacement shielding the left machinegun. As he jumped to his feet 10 yards from the gun and charged forward, machinegun fire tore through his camouflage robe and a rifle bullet seared a 10-inch gash across his back sending him spinning 15 yards down hill into the snow. When the indomitable sergeant sprang to his feet to renew his 1-man assault, a German egg grenade landed beside him. He kicked it aside, and as it exploded 5 yards away, shot and killed the German machinegunner and assistant gunner. His carbine empty, he jumped into the emplacement and hauled out the third member of the gun crew by the collar. Although his back wound was causing him excruciating pain and blood was seeping through his white coat, T/Sgt. Dunham proceeded 50 yards through a storm of automatic and rifle fire to attack the second machinegun. Twenty-five yards from the emplacement he hurled 2 grenades, destroying the gun and its crew; then fired down into the supporting foxholes with his carbine dispatching and dispersing the enemy riflemen. Although his coat was so thoroughly blood-soaked that he was a conspicuous target against the white landscape, T/Sgt. Dunham again advanced ahead of his platoon in an assault on enemy positions farther up the hill. Coming under machinegun fire from 65 yards to his front, while rifle grenades exploded 10 yards from his position, he hit the ground and crawled forward. At 15 yards range, he jumped to his feet, staggered a few paces toward the timbered machinegun emplacement and killed the crew with hand grenades. An enemy rifleman fired at pointblank range, but missed him. After killing the rifleman, T/Sgt. Dunham drove others from their foxholes with grenades and carbine fire. Killing 9 Germans--wounding 7 and capturing 2--firing about 175 rounds of carbine ammunition, and expending 11 grenades, T/Sgt. Dunham, despite a painful wound, spearheaded a spectacular and successful diversionary attack.

Captain Robert Hugo Dunlap (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on February 20-21, 1945 on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of Company C, 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, on 20 and 21 February, 1945. Defying uninterrupted blasts of Japanese artillery. mortar, rifle and machinegun fire, Capt. Dunlap led his troops in a determined advance from low ground uphill toward the steep cliffs from which the enemy poured a devastating rain of shrapnel and bullets, steadily inching forward until the tremendous volume of enemy fire from the caves located high to his front temporarily halted his progress. Determined not to yield, he crawled alone approximately 200 yards forward of his front lines, took observation at the base of the cliff 50 yards from Japanese lines, located the enemy gun positions and returned to his own lines where he relayed the vital information to supporting artillery and naval gunfire units. Persistently disregarding his own personal safety, he then placed himself in an exposed vantage point to direct more accurately the supporting fire and, working without respite for 2 days and 2 nights under constant enemy fire, skillfully directed a smashing bombardment against the almost impregnable Japanese positions despite numerous obstacles and heavy marine casualties. A brilliant leader, Capt. Dunlap inspired his men to heroic efforts during this critical phase of the battle and by his cool decision, indomitable fighting spirit, and daring tactics in the face of fanatic opposition greatly accelerated the final decisive defeat of Japanese countermeasures in his sector and materially furthered the continued advance of his company. His great personal valor and gallant spirit of self-sacrifice throughout the bitter hostilities reflect the highest credit upon Capt. Dunlap and the U.S. Naval Service.


Before I get to my congrats… Did you see the MLB game last night between St. Louis and “Don’t Call Us Florida” Miami? If so, did you see Muhammad Ali before the game? I’ve never really considered myself an Ali fan… but I also don’t hate him. I’ve read about him and seen shows about him… at times I liked him and at times I didn’t. Having said that, when I saw him last night I felt sad. I know he’s getting up there (I believe he turned 70 this past January), but damn he looks old. And not a good old… a this might have been the last time I’ll ever see him old. If I had looked at the news this morning and seen that Ali had died over night, I would not have been shocked. Maybe he’s got some more years in him… but I doubt it.

Now that the mood is kind of down… CONGRATS to The House of Clark on the birth of Timothy Bryant Williams! Sorry I’m late with this… I kept meaning to post something but always got distracted. Anyway, the young lad (who was almost named Gregory Ross) was born March 28 at 4:27pm… entering the world at 7 pounds, 7 ounces and 19 inches. We are very happy for our friends over at Courtyard on their new addition!

Congrats also to Kentucky on their national title in men’s basketball. The Wildcats beat Kansas in the championship game of the NCAA Tournament.

Finally, Congrats to the Baylor women’s basketball team for their great accomplishment. Not only did they win the women’s basketball national championship with their win over Notre Dame in the championship game of the Women’s NCAA Tournament, they also capped off a 40-0 season. This marked the first time a college basketball team won 40 games in a season. 40 wins… word is they went out and got their 40th win in honor of No-Name Teri (who turns 40 this year… but more on that in May).


Thankful Thursday

With tomorrow being Good Friday, I’m thinking this would be a great time (as if there is a bad time) to be thankful for Jesus. Christmas always seems to get the most pub… and don’t get me wrong, the birth of God’s Son is worthy of celebration… but Easter is what it’s all about. Easter celebrates the whole reason He came to earth in the first place. He came to die for our sins… and not some kind of quick painless death… I’m talking nailed up on a cross hanging there for hours. I like to think that if needed, I’d be willing to die for my friends and family (or at least a select few friends and family), but I’d prefer that be the quick, painless death. I seriously doubt I could go the nailed to a cross route. But Jesus did it. He died on the cross for our sins. If the story ended there, it would be nice. I mean, come on… God sends his only Son down to earth to die for all of our sins… that’s pretty good. But it doesn’t stop there. If it did, then Good Friday would be the holiday we celebrate this time of year. Nope… the story continues. You see, death thought it could win… but it couldn’t. Reading the Easter story is like reading about the first ever “Rope-a-Dope”. Jesus took death’s best shot… heck, death even thought it had won and for a few days it looked like it had… but it didn’t. It couldn’t. Yes, Jesus died for our sins, but death couldn’t keep Him. On what we now call Easter Sunday, Jesus looked at death and said “Nice try, but I’m back”. The thing that gives me comfort isn’t just that Jesus died for my sins, but that in the end He conquered death. Like the song says, because He lives I can face tomorrow… Because He lives, all fear is gone. It’s because He lives that lets me know that at the end of the day, I’m on the winning team. I pray that you are too.