Warship christened at Maine shipyard for NY Marine

AP ^ | DAVID SHARP

[Dubya]

BATH, Maine – In a solemn ceremony punctuated by talk of courage, service and sacrifice, the mother of a Marine corporal on Saturday christened a warship honoring her son, who died after covering an exploding grenade to protect his comrades in Iraq.

After composing herself and taking a deep breath, Deb Dunham smashed a bottle of champagne over the bow of the 510-foot warship Jason Dunham, then held the bottle aloft before a cheering crowd of more than 1,500 people.

She was joined by the Marines who served with her son, by her husband, Dan Dunham, and their daughter Katelyn Dunham. Two other Dunham boys also were in the audience.

Retired Gen. Michael Hagee, a former Marine commandant who was with the Dunhams when their son died at Bethesda Naval Hospital days after the explosion, said Jason gave the "gift of valor." Hagee said the warship will serve as a reminder that freedom "is paid for by the men and women who wear the cloth of this nation."

"They are willing to give up everything that is important: love, marriage, children, family, friends," Hagee said of the 22-year-old Marine. "I can tell you I've always stood in awe of that."

[Dubya]

FREE REPUBLIC THE BEST SITE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB.

[Dubya]

[Dubya]

[Mr. Silverback]

May her crew be as dediocated and gallant as her namesake.

[Dubya]

[Dubya]

[Dubya]

Amen

[Dubya]

[Dubya]

[Dubya]

Streamers fly during the christening ceremony of the USS Jason Dunham, an Arleigh-Burke Class destroyer, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009, at Bath iron Works in Bath, Maine. The ship is named after the late Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, of Scio, N.Y. Dunham, 22, of Scio, N.Y., who was mortally wounded as he saved his comrades that day, will be honored Saturday at the christening of the Navy's newest destroyer, the USS Jason Dunham. The young corporal who threw his Kevlar helmet and his body onto the grenade became the first Marine since the Vietnam War to receive the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor.

(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

[robertwalker62]

Nice to see such a beautiful ship named for someone worthy of the honor, and not some politician.

[Anti-Kenyan]

What a great tribute. I am glad to see they are naming ships after warriors again, well for now.

[Americanwolf]

as a salior.... I took as well as most my shipmates.... great pride in serving on the Nimitz... I am sure the plankowners will do the ships namesake proud.

[quikdrw]

Where do we find such men?

[quikdrw]

As a sailor, I agree with you. The plankowners of the Dunham will do everything to make the ship’s namesake very proud. I know damn well that I would.

[garjog]

Watch Pres. Bush’s speech telling Jason’s story. He gets a tear in his eye. (not as good of speaker as O, but oh, don’t we miss him as CIC?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64OQTOMQq5k

[wastedyears]

This guy jumped on a grenade and actually lived long enough to get to Bethesda before dying? Absolutely unbelievable

[EDINVA]

“Nice to see such a beautiful ship named for someone worthy of the honor, and not some politician.”

That was my thought exactly!

[GATOR NAVY]

Glad to see the Navy can still occasionally get it right with ship names.

[americanophile]

Wow, that’s a mighty honor.