American Valor Quarterly Issue 5 - Winter 2008/09 | Page 36

U.S. Army Photo

believed every leader or Marine should strive to be. He told the Jason was seriously wounded, and evacuated to the National Naval
NCOs that he believed in self-sacrifice for the greater good, Medical Center in Bethesda. He died on April 22, 2004 with his
leadership by example and that one man can make a difference. parents and Marine Corps Commandant Michael Hagee by his
side.
Jason was a Marine’s Marine. He showed compassion for his
fellow Marines, and always sought to build them up. He took Jason lived his life with a warrior spirit. Bushido – meaning the
new guys under his wing, never allowing the others to refer to way of the warrior – is characterized by seven principles. 1) Making
newly arriving privates and PFCs as “boots,” which was a the right decision with equanimity from the heart. When we must
common nickname. He was never condescending, always die, we must die. 2) Courage. Bravery, tinged with heroism. Selfhardworking and cared immensely for his Marines. He displayed sacrifice. 3) Benevolence and compassion toward man. 4) Respect,
a sense of responsibility that was far beyond the years of a 22- an essential quality. Courtesy. 5) Honesty. Utter sincerity. Integrity.
year-old. Jason simply earned the respect of his men and never 6) Honor. 7) Loyalty.
demanded it. In one profound example, he extended his enlistment
in order to complete his tour in Iraq with his battalion.
He has blessed our lives. His platoon had a shirt made in his
honor, which reads on the back, “The internal bond self-sacrifice
One of the men in Jason’s squad at the time of his heroic actions breeds will always coarse through our veins.”
recalled telling Jason that he was crazy to stay. But Jason told him
that he wanted to be there to
Jason has left us with the greatest
fight alongside us. He was
example of self-sacrifice for the
determined to make sure that all
greater good, leadership by
of his boys made it home, and
example, and that one man can
they did.
make a difference.
The night prior to the actions for
Ross McGinnis
which he was awarded the Medal
of Honor, he began writing the
Sergeant 1st Class Cedric
operations order that would be
Thomas, USA: Ross McGinnis
delivered first thing in the
was from a small town in
morning. He rolled into the
Pennsylvania – 19 years old. He
company’s combat operations
enlisted in the Army at age 18,
center wearing camouflaged
right out of high school, and
attended basic training at Fort
trousers and boots, but no shirt,
Benning, Georgia.
which displayed his tattoos: a skull
Specialist Ross McGinnis,
with a helmet stamped with an
United States Army.
After completing basic training,
eagle and the globe & anchor, a
black skull with fangs on his forearm, and a spade from a deck he was on his way to Schweinfurt, Germany, where he joined
Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment. Meanwhile
of cards with a skull gnawing on an eight ball on his chest.
I had just completed a three-year tour of drill sergeant duty and
He sat there quietly studying the satellite imagery of the company’s was sent to Germany, where I was looking forward to lining up
area of operations, specifically the route that he was going to my Humvee crew.
take the next morning. Around midnight on the 14th of April, his
fire team leaders brought Jason a tray of hot chow – a ham I remember joining the company and going to a meeting with
omelet and some juice. At that moment, we witnessed a prime the outgoing platoon sergeant. As I walked past the arms room,
example of how his subordinates showed Jason that they cared Ross McGinnis came walking out. Ross is six feet tall and about
for him as much as he cared for them. He had earned their love 150 pounds – and that is probably with his gear on! Ross walked
and respect.
out, and was covered in carbon from cleaning his .50 cal. I did
not know it at the time, but Ross is a big joker, always laughing
That morning, Jason took his men out on patrol near the Iraqi and cracking jokes. I walked up t