Medal of Honor

Ecofarm

Ecofarm

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Spc. Ross McGinnis, who was killed Dec. 4, 2006, in Iraq when he smothered a grenade with his body, will receive the Medal of Honor, the White House announced Friday.

McGinnis, 19, will be honored during a ceremony June 2 at the White House. The Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for valor, will be presented to McGinnis’ family. McGinnis also will be honored at the Pentagon on June 3, and a new marker for his grave at Arlington National Cemetery will be unveiled June 4.

The award for McGinnis, first reported by Army Times, will be the second given to a soldier for actions while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, who was killed April 4, 2003, fighting off insurgents in a fierce firefight south of Baghdad, was awarded the Medal of Honor two years after he died.

McGinnis, then a private first class assigned to 1st Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, is credited with saving the lives of four fellow soldiers.

McGinnis was manning the turret in the last Humvee of a six-vehicle patrol in Adhamiyah in northeast Baghdad on Dec. 4, 2006, when an insurgent threw a grenade from the roof of a nearby building.

“Grenade!” yelled McGinnis, who was manning the vehicle's M2 .50-caliber machine gun.

McGinnis, facing backward because he was in the rear vehicle, tried to deflect the grenade, but it fell into the Humvee and lodged between the radios.

When he stood up to get ready to jump out of the vehicle, as he had been trained to do, McGinnis realized the other four soldiers in the Humvee did not know where the grenade had landed and did not have enough time to escape.

McGinnis, a native of Knox, Pa., threw his back against the radio mount, where the grenade was lodged, and smothered the explosive with his body.

McGinnis was posthumously promoted to specialist, and he was awarded the Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest award for valor, while the Medal of Honor nomination was pending.

The grenade exploded, hitting McGinnis on his sides and lower back, under his vest. He was killed instantly. The other four men survived.

In addition to Smith and McGinnis, two other service members have been awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq: Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham and Master-at-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael Monsoor. Only one Medal of Honor has been awarded for actions in Afghanistan, to Lt. Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL.

Each of those awards was presented posthumously.
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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/army_mcginnis_052308w/

Rare for a private.
 
I heard about him. Very noble.
 
Have there been any non posthumus awardings of the MOH yet? If not, they need to get on it. The MOH was never meant to be an "only if you die" medal, and historically hasn't been.
 
holy king said:
taking oneself out of the gene pool in order for four other male individuals to survive in times of extreme over-population? hardly intelligent.
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Let me be the first to say:

What?

Am I to assume that the goal of the military is to reduce population? I should specify: US military.

I don't think this was an intelligence contest. I'm quite sure (I would say rather sure, but that term is an oxymoron now) that he considered himself smarter and even better than at least a couple people in that truck. That is why it is a triumph of humanity. If he was ordered to do it by some arsehole in a population controlled system, it wouldn't count.
 
I don't agree with the over population comment, but I do agree that it wasn't the smatest thing to do in the presence of a grenade. But I guess honour is better than at least a chance to live...
 
holy king said:
taking oneself out of the gene pool in order for four other male individuals to survive in times of extreme over-population? hardly intelligent.
Click to expand...

It seems Jesus disagrees.

John 15:13 said:
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Click to expand...
 
Shekwan said:
I don't agree with the over population comment, but I do agree that it wasn't the smatest thing to do in the presence of a grenade. But I guess honour is better than at least a chance to live...
Click to expand...



To think honor is what motivated this man is naive. Honor is a motivation only for lesser men - those bound by the expectations and valuations of the untermench. People looking to die with honor invariably wait for the next opportunity.



It was not his duty, against his training and he did it anyway - for you and me. we owe him as much as the men in that truck and that is why we honor him today.
 
Throwing oneself on a grenade actually works?

Huh.
 
Oh he threw himself on grenade for me now? He's a modern day saviour? Its this glorification of the military that misleads young people to enlist in a war they should have no part in. Thats the purpose of these ''awards''.
 
Shekwan said:
Its this glorification of the military that misleads young people to enlist in a war they should have no part in. Thats the purpose of these ''awards''.
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And who are you to judge him and his sacrafice? What makes your opinion count for anything? Do you think I care about what you think of my role in this war? The purpose of this award is to acknowladge the fact he did something extraordinary, selfless and extremely heroic. Something that you would most likely do if it were say your family in that truck. The men in that truck were his family, on a far deeper level than you will ever have the pleasure of understanding or even comprehending as a civilian in the western world who has had all the oppertunities of a cultured and high tech socieity laid at his feet.

He could have gotten out of the turret and saved his own ass, sure. He did not because four of his comrades would have been killed in all likelyhood. He gave his own life for the lives of others, so these men could see there families again. He willingly and knowningly did what he did, without hesitation because he felt it was what needed to be done. You dare piss on that?

You and your judgement are a far, far cry from the honor and courage of PFC Ross McGinnis imho. Good day Sir.
 
holy king said:
if you think there's anything honourable in getting shreddered by grenades...
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So that four of his comrades could live? yes. Obviously that is uncomprehendable to you. Like I said, if it were your family chances are you would do the same. If not, I pity you for whatever has made you that way.
 
A medal is nice, but it won't bring him back to life.
 
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