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Corporal Jason Lee Dunham was serving with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines Regiment, during the Iraq War.
On April 14, 2004, his convoy was responding to an attack that happened in a nearby town. Other Marines responded first, detaining several vehicles and suspects. When one of the suspects tried escaping, Corporal Dunham engaged the man in hand-to-hand combat.
During the fight, the suspect pulled the pin out of a grenade and launched it at a group of Marines. Dunham threw his helmet and his body on top of the grenade, shielding his fellow soldiers from the blast.
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Eight days later, Corporal Dunham died from injuries sustained during the blast … at the tender age of 22.
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Today we honor all the men and women who, like Corporal Dunham, never returned home from combat. They offered themselves for the life of our nation: for our families, our children, our freedom, and our future.
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Stories like Corporal Dunham get to the essence of Christianity. As Jesus himself once said, “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Jesus did it. Dunham did it. We should do it.
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While we cannot offer ourselves for the life of the world as Christ did, nor may we be drawn into combat as Corporal Dunham was, we are all called to offer ourselves for the good of others, even in ordinary ways.
In what ways am I of service to others: To my family? To my country? To my God?
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May Corporal Dunham and all who’ve sacrificed themselves in any way for the protection of our lives, our freedom, and our faith find rest in Christ’s kingdom. Amen.
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Image credits: (1) Corporal Jason Lee Dunham, Wikipedia (2) Learn Religions