| 00:03:5212 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Thank you, everybody. Please be seated. Thank you, Chaplain Kibben. Good afternoon, everyone. And on behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White... |
| 00:04:0434 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
It’s been said that “where there is a brave man, in the thickest of the fight, there is the post of honor.” Today, we pay tribute to an American... |
| 00:04:3833 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Today is only the third time during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that a recipient of the Medal of Honor has been able to accept it in person. And... |
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Obama, Barack - President
I would point out something else -- of all the Medal of Honor recipients in recent decades, Dakota is also one of the youngest. He’s 23 years old.... | |
| 00:05:1146 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Despite all this, I have to say Dakota is one of the most down-to-Earth guys that you will ever meet. In fact, when my staff first tried to arrange... |
| 00:05:5748 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Dakota is the kind of guy who gets the job done. And I do appreciate, Dakota, you taking my call. (Laughter.) The Medal of Honor reflects the gratitude... |
| 00:06:4523 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
We’re honored to welcome Dakota’s father, Mike, who’s here; his extraordinary grandparents; and more than 120 of Dakota’s family and friends,... |
| 00:07:0823 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Dakota, I realize the past two years have not been easy for you, retelling the story of that day and standing here today. You’re a very modest young... |
| 00:07:3120 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
So that’s how we’ll do this today. It’s fitting that we do so this week, having just marked the 10th anniversary of the attacks that took our... |
| 00:07:5143 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Let me tell the story. I want you to imagine it’s September 8, 2009, just before dawn. A patrol of Afghan forces and their American trainers is on... |
| 00:08:3436 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
And soon, the patrol was pinned down, taking ferocious fire from three sides. Men were being wounded and killed, and four Americans -- Dakota’s friends... |
| 00:09:1030 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
The story of what Dakota did next will be told for generations. He told Juan they were going in. Juan jumped into a Humvee and took the wheel; Dakota... |
| 00:09:4026 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Coming upon wounded Afghan soldiers, Dakota jumped out and loaded each of the wounded into the Humvee, each time exposing himself to all that enemy... |
| 00:10:0622 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
For a second time, they went back -- back into the inferno; Juan at the wheel, swerving to avoid the explosions all around them; Dakota up in the turret... |
| 00:10:2823 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
For a third time, they went back -- insurgents running right up to the Humvee, Dakota fighting them off. Up ahead, a group of Americans, some wounded,... |
| 00:10:5118 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
For a fourth time, they went back. Dakota was now wounded in the arm. Their vehicle was riddled with bullets and shrapnel. Dakota later confessed, “I... |
| 00:11:0927 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
And then, for a fifth time, they went back -- into the fury of that village, under fire that seemed to come from every window, every doorway, every... |
| 00:11:3614 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Dakota and the others who had joined him knelt down, picked up their comrades and -- through all those bullets, all the smoke, all the chaos -- carried... |
| 00:11:5036 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Dakota says he’ll accept this medal in their name. So today, we remember the husband who loved the outdoors --Lieutenant Michael Johnson. The husband... |
| 00:12:2623 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Dakota, I know that you’ve grappled with the grief of that day; that you’ve said your efforts were somehow a “failure” because your teammates... |
| 00:12:4944 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Because of your Honor, 36 men are alive today. Because of your Courage, four fallen American heroes came home, and -- in the words of James Layton’s... |
| 00:13:331 min. |
Obama, Barack - President
Therein lies the greatest lesson of that day in the valley, and the truth that our men and women in uniform live out every day. “I was part of something... |
| 00:14:4410 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Every member of our team is as important as the other. That’s a lesson that we all have to remember -- as citizens, and as a nation -- as we meet... |
| 00:14:5434 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
To our Marines, to all our men and women in uniform, to our fellow Americans, let us always be faithful. And as we prepare for the reading of the citation,... |
| 00:15:2823 sec. |
MILITARY AIDE, -
The President of the United States, in the name of the Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Corporal Dakota L. Meyer, United... |
| 00:15:5131 sec. |
MILITARY AIDE, -
Corporal Meyer maintained security at a patrol rally point, while other members of his team moved on foot with two platoons of Afghan National Army... |
| 00:16:2229 sec. |
MILITARY AIDE, -
With a fellow Marine driving, Corporal Meyer took the exposed gunner’s position in a gun truck as they drove down the steeply terraced terrain in... |
| 00:16:5122 sec. |
MILITARY AIDE, -
During the first two trips, he and his driver evacuated two dozen Afghan soldiers, many of whom were wounded. When one machine gun became inoperable... |
| 00:17:1313 sec. |
MILITARY AIDE, -
Despite a shrapnel wound to his arm, Corporal Meyer made two more trips into the ambush area in a third gun truck, accompanied by four other Afghan... |
| 00:17:2635 sec. |
MILITARY AIDE, -
Still under heavy enemy fire, he dismounted the vehicle on the fifth trip and moved on foot to locate and recover the bodies of his team members. Corporal... |
| 00:18:011 min. |
MILITARY AIDE, -
(The Medal is presented.) (Applause.) |
| 00:19:0335 sec. |
CHAPLAIN KIBBEN, -
Let us close in prayer: God, may this ceremony serve as a reminder of the responsibility that comes with receiving the grace gift of freedom. And as... |
| 00:19:388 sec. |
CHAPLAIN KIBBEN, -
It is in Your Holy name we pray. Amen. |
| 00:19:4620 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Thank you all for joining us here today. We are grateful for Dakota. We are grateful for all our men and women in uniform. And I hope that all of you... |
| 00:20:062 min. |
Obama, Barack - President
Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. (Applause.) |