Patterico's Pontifications

6/20/2014

Respect

Filed under: General — Dana @ 5:56 pm



[guest post by Dana]

The extraordinary valor of Marine Cpl. William Kyle Carpenter was etched in scar tissue on his face as President Obama awarded him America’s highest recognition, the Medal of Honor, for shielding a fellow Marine from a hand grenade with his body.

It happened four years ago on a rooftop in Afghanistan. Carpenter, then 21 years old, was with Lance Cpl. Nick Eufrazio. When the grenade landed nearby, Carpenter threw his body between the blast and his buddy from training days.

By absorbing the killing force, Carpenter enabled Eufrazio to come through alive, though both were horribly wounded. Carpenter kept asking the servicemen who rushed to his aid if his friend was okay, even as he prepared to die himself and hospital medics pronounced him dead on arrival.

How happily wrong they were. Carpenter had suffered a skull fracture, punctured lung, pierced carotid artery, 30 fractures in his right arm, shrapnel in both legs. He had lost most of his lower teeth. The explosion also took his right eye.

He spent five weeks in a coma, then more than two-and-a-half years in the hospital, undergoing nearly 40 surgeries. At the age of 24, he is now enrolled at the University of South Carolina.

“I’m totally fine knowing that I gave part of myself to a bigger purpose and a bigger cause ,” Carpenter said.

–Dana

UPDATE BY PATTERICO: Watch the videos in order:

Thanks to happyfeet.

35 Responses to “Respect”

  1. Purple heart and Bronze Star with “v”.

    nk (dbc370)

  2. And all of that about to be frittered away by the current “administration”.

    Bill M (906260)

  3. here’s the story of all the people it took for so this man was not left behind

    Marines said Carpenter’s body was still smoking when they found him.

    There’s also video there for if you want to cry your eyes out

    oh. Also i read on the internet that food stamp just released five terrorists who like to throw these exact same hand grenades at americans btw.

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  4. We stand in awe of Marines and soldiers like Cpl. Carpenter. May his future be happy and prosperous.

    The link is to the DSC award of my high school friend, Tim Lane. Not to take anything away from Mr. Carpenter but Tim’s award should be upgraded in my opinion.

    http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=4543

    Ted Carney (d35ea0)

  5. The bravery and split-second selflessness of that act is awe inspiring. It’s hard to wrap one’s mind around.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  6. Lloyd Dogsh*t lends a Legislative Branch hand to an Executive Branch that has repeatedly used the federal government bureaucracy to attack Obama’s perceived political enemies. The criminal, Eric Holder, held in contempt for ignoring the laws of the United States of America, allows this continuing criminal enterprise to break law after law. It is beyond time a Special Prosecuter was appointed to investigate the activities of this gangster government.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  7. Stephanie Kwolek, a DuPont chemist who invented the synthetic fibers used in Kevlar body armor, has died at the age of 90, her colleagues said Friday.*

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  8. Where do we find men such as these?

    The answer used to be
    “On any Main Street”;
    today I wonder if that can still be true,
    but hope that it is.

    askeptic (8ecc78)

  9. today I wonder if that can still be true,

    Where you will find them is on small-town America’s Main Street. The Main Street of a deep-blue metro area, much less likely.

    Blacque Jacques Shellacque (9940a5)

  10. …By his self-sacrifice, Private Lane saved the lives of his fellow soldiers at the cost of his own. Private First Class Lane’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army…

    gawd.

    Steve57 (d38ceb)

  11. “I’m totally fine knowing that I gave part of myself to a bigger purpose and a bigger cause.”

    And that my friends is a true patriot, warrior and friend. I have two Purple Hearts and I also have a Bronze Star with a "V" yet I am humbled by this man, patriot, warrior and friend. That is the type of man I want in government service. Not this empty suit Obama, but a man with courage and determination. A man who realizes there is more to life than "himself". I ask, do you think he is a left wing Democrat? I answer, no. He is the type of man that left wing Democrats rely on to keep their asses out of the fire all the while showing nothing but distain for. I guarantee he is not of the party that boo'd God, he is an American right down to his core.

    Hoagie (4dfb34)

  12. I watched the ceremony, and again Obama looks cold as ice, completely unmoved.

    The young man is incredible and credit to his nation.

    Patricia (5fc097)

  13. 12. The young man is incredible and credit to his nation.

    Patricia (5fc097) — 6/21/2014 @ 8:11 am

    no a lo of qui in hi . And yes I plan on buying a ‘pu er whi h whih he keys a ually work.

    Steve57 (d38ceb)

  14. oh noes! Now he eee has gone. Rhy es wi h “we.”

    I ype. I press h keys. he le rs do no appea .

    I ha e been in worse si ua ions.

    Steve57 (d38ceb)

  15. Anybody wan o buy a sligh ly used o pu er? I ha e one for sale heap.

    Steve57 (d38ceb)

  16. Just checking

    Steve57 (c9c4e5)

  17. I have two Purple Hearts and I also have a Bronze Star with a “V” yet I am humbled by this man, patriot, warrior and friend.

    Can I prevail upon you to tell me more about that?

    You can email me if you would prefer. But I think people here would be interested. I’m sure, like most recipients of such honors, that you’re not the type to casually boast about it, and might be reluctant to talk about your experience for that reason. Consider it a favor to me.

    Patterico (9c670f)

  18. I like finding out more about commenters from time to time. I wonder if it’s time to do another thread where people tell us about themselves.

    The thing is, the last time I did that was before Brett Kimberlin and Neal Rauhauser. I can see where people might be more reluctant to share personal details when there are asshats like those guys out there, looking to make people’s lives miserable simply because they defend me against harassment from a convicted bomber and his cronies.

    Patterico (9c670f)

  19. Men like this keep faith alive.

    and thank you, Hoagie.

    mg (f9d85c)

  20. 18. …I like finding out more about commenters from time to time. I wonder if it’s time to do another thread where people tell us about themselves.

    …Patterico (9c670f) — 6/21/2014 @ 11:58 am

    Steve57 (d38ceb)

  21. Yes, thank you, Hoagie! We owe you, man.

    felipe (960c75)

  22. Tell us everything, Steve57, omit nothing!

    felipe (960c75)

  23. Hoagie killed a Commie for your Mommy… about 38 times over… Then he married an ornamental. 🙂

    John Hitchcock (1a2204)

  24. Tell us everything, Steve57, omit nothing!
    felipe (960c75) — 6/21/2014 @ 1:05 pm

    Is there anything that Steve hasn’t told us?/s

    askeptic (8ecc78)

  25. My brush with greatness. I once volunteered to be an adviser to the filipino navy and marinenes back in the early posted 9/11 days. Does anyone remember? I must have been nuts.

    Steve57 (c9c4e5)

  26. It was as a Freshman in High School while I was doing my “reading for pleasure” by reading every WWII non-fiction (and fiction) book I could get my hands on that I found a 700 page book on Bataan. At that time, I developed an instant huge respect for Filipinos and the Philippines.

    John Hitchcock (1a2204)

  27. 24. Tell us everything, Steve57, omit nothing!
    felipe (960c75) — 6/21/2014 @ 1:05 pm

    Is there anything that Steve hasn’t told us?/s
    askeptic (8ecc78) — 6/21/2014 @ 1:12 pm

    Yeah, there are a few things I left out. Statute of limitations and whatnot.

    Steve57 (d38ceb)

  28. Well, we probably have a lot to look forward to in the coming years.

    askeptic (8ecc78)

  29. We should have a thread where Barack Obama tells us about himself, as well as discloses all of the documents he’s been too shy to share with us.

    Elephant Stone (6a6f37)

  30. There was that hooker in Bucharest. Fortunately the cops believed me.

    Steve57 (c9c4e5)

  31. “There is no greater love than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, New Oxford English). Even if he does not succeed in dying.

    Most very well done.

    htom (412a17)

  32. with feckless leadership like this, we don’t deserve such men;

    http://online.wsj.com/articles/secret-u-s-plan-to-aid-iraq-1403308039?mod=Politics_and_Policy_newsreel_1#

    narciso (3fec35)

  33. Steve57 (c9c4e5) — 6/21/2014 @ 1:39 pm

    They might have, but we’re a bunch of Doubting Thomas’.

    askeptic (8ecc78)

  34. Romanians.

    Steve57 (a1756b)


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