With his small squad-sized unit of Marines, Afghan soldiers, and engineers, then Lance Cpl. Kyle Carpenter moved south of Marjah on Nov. 19, 2010 to establish a new patrol base in Taliban territory.
It was no easy task, as the Marines knew anytime they moved south they were guaranteed to come under enemy fire.
The next day, while manning a rooftop post with another Marine, Carpenter and Lance Cpl. Nick Eufrazio came under intense fire, forcing them to lie on their backs to avoid being shot.
That gave the Taliban an opportunity: "Enemy forces had maneuvered in close through the use of the walls of the compound across the street to the east," according to the summary of action. They threw three grenades into the compound.
One landed in the center of the base, injuring an Afghan soldier. The second harmlessly detonated near the post that was destroyed the previous day. The last landed on the roof, dangerously close to both Marines.
"I only remember a few moments after I got hit," Carpenter said. "But nothing before."
An extensive investigation found that Carpenter had actually jumped on the grenade, absorbing most of the explosion. "The majority of the grenade blast was deflected down rather than up, causing a cone-shaped hole to be blown down through the ceiling of the command operations center," the summary reads.
Carpenter was severely wounded, with injuries to his face, jaw, and upper and lower extremities. Eufrazio received shrapnel to the head. Both were immediately evacuated and survived. Eufrazio is still recovering from the attack.
Award Presented: June 19, 2014