Defying orders, hero Marine saved other troops

By JULIE PACE - Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defying orders and tempting fate, Marine corporal Dakota Meyer charged five times in a Humvee into heavy gunfire in the darkness of an Afghanistan valley to rescue comrades under attack from Taliban insurgents.On Thursday, Meyer was presented with the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award, by President Barack Obama.
Meyer's courage during the six-hour ambush and firefight saved the lives of 36 people, both Americans and Afghans. He killed at least eight Taliban insurgents. Firing from a gun turret on top of the Humvee driven by a fellow Marine, he provided cover for his team, allowing many to escape likely death.
He was defying orders from his commanders, who told him to stay back. The kill zone, they said, was too dangerous. But the young corporal, just 21 years old at the time, knew his friends were trapped that early morning in September 2009.
"In Sgt. Dakota Meyer, we see the best of a generation that has served with distinction through a decade of war," Obama said during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.

For more: http://news.yahoo.com/defying-orders...215814570.html

While the title of the AP piece would lead you to believe that Meyer and his buddy were guilty of disobeying orders while in a combat zone, the UCMJ does allow a military man/woman to disobey an order that they feel is "unlawful".

October 02, 2006

American Soldiers Are Required to Disobey Unlawful Orders

Jim Macdonald writes:
Making Light: ATTENTION US MILITARY PERSONNEL: You are not required to obey an unlawful order.
You are required to disobey an unlawful order.


For more:
http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oGd...an_soldie.html


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I agree with Meyer's decision to disobey the order NOT to go into the fire zone. When your comrades are pinned down or under attack, to order a warrior to abrogate his reason for being (an unlawful order as far as I am concerned), then it is the responsibility of any military man/woman to make a personal decision to disregard the order.

I applaud the decision to Award this brave Marine the Medal of Honor.

Semper Fi young man ... Semper Fi.

Well done. Wear it with pride.
Nobody should be left behind.

Semper Fi brother.

A decoration well deserved.

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/0...alive-091511w/

There may be a second MoH from the same battle. Apparently this guy hasn't ever received anything for the same battle. We'll see what happens.

Well deserved, hopefully Capt. Will Swenson Ret. will recieve some form of recognition aswell.

KV.

Originally Posted by Team Infidel

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/0...alive-091511w/

There may be a second MoH from the same battle. Apparently this guy hasn't ever received anything for the same battle. We'll see what happens.

I know that the two Officers at Joyce took some hits and probably had their careers ended by the investigation into the denial of Supporting Fires and not advising higher. But was Swenson being ignored for a period of time because of his criticism?

Originally Posted by 03USMC

I know that the two Officers at Joyce took some hits and probably had their careers ended by the investigation into the denial of Supporting Fires and not advising higher. But was Swenson being ignored for a period of time because of his criticism?

Swenson was being ignored, but apparently there has been a ton of media and it has picked up momentum for him to be recognized. Good on him.

Swenson braved enemy fire on Sept. 8, 2009, with Marine Cpl. Dakota Meyer, who will receive the nation’s top valor award Thursday at the White House. Meyer, now a sergeant in the Individual Ready Reserve, told Marine Corps Times recently that it was "ridiculous” Swenson already hadn’t received some form of valor award.


"I’ll put it this way,” the outspoken Meyer said in an interview. "If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be alive today.”



http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/0...ended-091411w/

Marine Gen. John Allen, the top commander in Afghanistan, took a personal interest in the fierce firefight in Ganjgal, Afghanistan, that led to Meyer’s award, according to a report published on The Wall Street Journal’s website Wednesday night. The record of the battle was reopened last month, and "given the four-star general’s personal interest, sworn statements attesting to Capt. Swenson’s valor were quickly found.”

Semper Fi, Marine.