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Jason Dunham is shown here in a picture the last time he was home in Scio.
SCIO - It wasn't hard for Dan and Deb Dunham to find their way home Tuesday night.
All they had to do was follow the 45 flags, bunting and red, white and blue wreathes Scio Central School personnel had placed from Main Street to the doorstep after learning that Marine Corporal Jason Dunham will posthumously receive the Medal of Honor.
The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest military award. President George W. Bush announced Friday at the dedication of the National Marine Corps Museum in Virginia that Dunham will be a recipient.
The former Scio Central School athlete died in April 2004, succumbing to wounds he received after throwing himself on a Mills bomb during a roadside check near Karbala, Iraq. His actions saved the lives of two other Marines.
It's not about us, it's about Jason and the man on the right and the man on the left, said Dan and Deb concerning all the fame, gifts and thanks they have received in the 31 months since they sat at their son's bedside in the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland before he passed away.
A few days ago when the Dunham's left for Virginia, they just wanted to be part of the opening ceremonies for the Marine Corps Museum. They never realized, even after they were told attendance was by invitation only that they would have a starring role in the ceremony.
We knew last year that it was something we wanted to be there for, said Dan.
Since their son's death the Dunham family has increased immeasurably by the number of Marines who have become friends and part of the family as all have coped with the loss. The Marines take care of their own, is the oft quoted remark. The Dunham family, including Jason's younger siblings, Justin, Kyle and Katie, have come under the wing of the Marine Corps eagle, anchor and globe. They contact the family monthly, Deb said.
It wasn't until they realized their Marine friends were giving them just a little more attention than was required - they couldn't travel anywhere without a Marine escort including the bathrooms, they were given a private tour of the museum hours before the opening ceremony - they began to realize something was up, they said.
We'd hoped Jason would be named a recipient on the day the museum was dedicated because it was on his birthday, but we didn't know, said Deb.
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Good morning.