- Joined
- May 18, 2009
- Location
- st augustine,florida
A former Marine who disregarded orders to stay out of a firefight to rescue fellow leathernecks received the Medal of Honor today from President Barack Obama before a packed East Room at the White House.
"We are extraordinarily proud of Sgt. Dakota Meyer," Obama said. The president recounted some of the six-hour battle where Meyer rushed in to find and rescue his team members. Five times Meyer and fellow Marine Staff Sgt. Juan J. Rodriguez-Chavez rolled into harm's way in a Humvee, pulling out wounded Afghan troops and then going back for more.
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Finally, on foot and running through a hail of enemy fire, Meyer found his own teammates -- three Marines and a Navy corpsman -- already dead. Meyer, Rodriguez-Chavez and Army Capt. William Swenson recovered the bodies, all while taking fire during an ambush in the village of Ganjgal in September 2009.
"I didn't think I was gonna die. I knew I was gonna die," Obama quoted Meyer as having said later.
Meyer is the first living Marine since the Vietnam War to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Obama noted that he is also among the youngest. Now 23, he was only 21 at the time of the firefight on Sept. 8, 2009.
In conducting the rescue, Obama said, Meyer and Rodriguez-Chavez "were disobeying an order but doing what they thought was right." Rodriguez-Chavez was later awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest award for valor.
The President told those in attendance, including some members of Meyer's former unit of advisors to the Afghan army, that Meyer was "one of the most down-to-earth guys you'll ever meet."
Obama said that when the White House called to tell Meyer he would be getting the Medal of Honor, Meyer couldn't take the call because he was working his construction job. "And if I don't work I don't get paid," Meyer said.
So they called back during his lunch hour.
"Dakota is the kind of guy who gets the job done," Obama said, then turned to Meyer, who was standing nearby in his Marine uniform. "I do appreciate, Dakota, you taking my call."
"We are extraordinarily proud of Sgt. Dakota Meyer," Obama said. The president recounted some of the six-hour battle where Meyer rushed in to find and rescue his team members. Five times Meyer and fellow Marine Staff Sgt. Juan J. Rodriguez-Chavez rolled into harm's way in a Humvee, pulling out wounded Afghan troops and then going back for more.
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Finally, on foot and running through a hail of enemy fire, Meyer found his own teammates -- three Marines and a Navy corpsman -- already dead. Meyer, Rodriguez-Chavez and Army Capt. William Swenson recovered the bodies, all while taking fire during an ambush in the village of Ganjgal in September 2009.
"I didn't think I was gonna die. I knew I was gonna die," Obama quoted Meyer as having said later.
Meyer is the first living Marine since the Vietnam War to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Obama noted that he is also among the youngest. Now 23, he was only 21 at the time of the firefight on Sept. 8, 2009.
In conducting the rescue, Obama said, Meyer and Rodriguez-Chavez "were disobeying an order but doing what they thought was right." Rodriguez-Chavez was later awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest award for valor.
The President told those in attendance, including some members of Meyer's former unit of advisors to the Afghan army, that Meyer was "one of the most down-to-earth guys you'll ever meet."
Obama said that when the White House called to tell Meyer he would be getting the Medal of Honor, Meyer couldn't take the call because he was working his construction job. "And if I don't work I don't get paid," Meyer said.
So they called back during his lunch hour.
"Dakota is the kind of guy who gets the job done," Obama said, then turned to Meyer, who was standing nearby in his Marine uniform. "I do appreciate, Dakota, you taking my call."