Customer Reviews

The Gift of Valor: A War Story

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April 14th, 2004, the world changed for many people. Me included. On patrol in Husaybah, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Kilo Company Marines were patrolling, securing the area after an attack on a Marine convoy.

At a vehicle check, an Iraqi insurgent burst from his vehicle with a loaded grenade, attacking Corporal Jason Dunham and his squad. Corporal Dunham was mortally wounded in the attack while saving the lives of the Marines who fought the insurgent with him. One of the Marines he saved is a young man I have known for fifteen years, who I watched grow up.

Everybody should read this book. It brings the daily lives and duties of our brave Marines to blinding light, and will show you from an insider's view how ALL of these husbands, sons, and fathers are heroes, every day there are out there. Jason's heroism and tragedy is real, not just a sound-bite on your evening news.

Michael M. Phillips has meticulously detailed this event, using painstaking second-by-second accounts of the convoy, the attack, and the vehicle check. He diligently follows Jason's route home, from medical corpsmen to medevac, hospital to hospital, until he reaches American soil at last. There are some gruesome accounts of the Marine's injuries and the surgeries that followed, so be prepared.

This book is not for the squeamish, but war isn't pretty. Combat is not our men and women wearing their dress blues; combat is our men and women wounded, bleeding, and dying. Michaels details the military medical community, and the dedication these men and women have to the combat soldiers they care for.

Anyone who follows my reviews will see that I am a horror aficionado. 'The Gift Of Valor' is the most horrifying book I have ever read, because it is real, because it hits straight to the heart. I cried all through the book and I'm crying as I write this review.

I say it again: Everybody should read this book. Everyone should know what its like for the men and women we rely on everyday; everyone should feel the pain of losing Jason.

To all my marines at Twenty-nine Palms, to my 'special son' Lance Corporal William Hampton, to PFC Kelly Miller, to each and every one of you who came to my house for a weekend of relaxation...know this: "Mom" loves you!

Do not let this book's spare 241 pages deceive you. It is a beautifully written, at times raw, elegant telling of one war story from Iraq; a story that should leave you emotionally drained, yet also comforted when you finally put it down.

Throughout the story, a central tenet of the United States Marine Corps, "No Marine left behind", is shown to be true.
From his training through deployment, to battle and injury and medical evacuation leading home to his final resting place, Corporal Jason L. Dunham, USMC and his family were accompanied by, comforted by and protected by his fellow Marines. To a Marine parent, the knowledge that one's child will never be left alone is as reassuring as anything could be under those circumstances.

Mr. Phillips, in my opinion, has equalled Dr. Ronald Glasser's 1971 Vietnam classic "365 Days". His vivid descriptions of battle, medical care, family support and humor left me misty-eyed many times. Well worth reading and passing on to others.

Favorite line (pg. 110)-
Miller assured Ferguson that he was O.K. but added, "My mom is going to be ....ing pissed."

During a firefight in Iraq, along the Syrian border, Marine Corporal Jason Dunham sacrificed his own life, to save the lives of his comrades. This is the story of Corporal Dunham: his life, his service and his heroism.

I must admit, that I finished this book some time ago, but it has taken me a long time to actually write this review. Yes, this is a war story, but the author, who has done four tours in Iraq as an embedded journalist, has done an excellent job. This isn't a simple story, instead it is the story of life, good and bad, and war, with its times of fun and comradeship, and times of horror and desperation.

Indeed, that is why this book took me so long to review. This book doesn't just tell you the story of Corporal Dunham, instead it brings you along, into his life and death. And when it's all done, you will also probably feel somewhat wrung out, as if you had been right there for it all.

Overall, I found this to be a great read, no doubt the greatest work to come out of this war so far. If you are at all interested in Iraq and the soldiers there, then I highly recommend this book to you. In the future, this will undoubtedly be seen as a classic book on this war.

Every American should read this book. I have followed the poignant saga of Marine Corporal Jason Dunham for over a year now, and I continually ask myself, "where do we find such men?" Cpl Dunham's journey is movingly told in "The Gift of Valor," and it tells a story of real men, real violence, real compassion and real humanity. The selfless and heroic actions of Cpl Dunham and his Marine brothers are described in detail. The reader receives a healthy dose of the violence and brutality of war, but it also shows how young Americans willingly going into harm's way for abstract ideals like camaraderie, brotherhood, and espirit de corps.

I have already bought 4 copies of "Gift" to send to close friends, and will likely buy more. This book is destined to become a classic, which is fitting for the memory of Cpl Dunham, who surely passed Carl Sandburg's test ("Valor is a gift. Those having it never know for sure whether they have it till the test comes."). Cpl Dunham can be proud that he passed the test, and that his memory will live on as an example for others.

What a great book and a gift to all Marines. You won't be able to put it down once you start reading. Tells the combat life of Marines the way it is shorn of all the lies and deceit used by politicians of all stripes to justify their wars.

Mr. Phillips does an excellent job of telling the story of Cpl. Jason Dunham's life, as well as those who were also a part of his life, to us the readers. The book tells us not only of the events as they happened to Kilo Company, but also those individuals who raised the young man, served with him, took care of him as he moved from the battlefield to the states, and participated in his life in general. As much as the story is focused on Cpl. Dunham, the story is like a window to enable us to see the human side to those individuals who serve in the US military these days also. To be perfectly honest, towards the end of the book, I cried and I cried. I am glad to see people took time out of their schedule to be with the young man as he moved through the medical system.

The story of Cpl Dunham and his squad in combat in Iraq, is not an objective history. Nor is it simply a biography of one Marine's life and the story of his premature death. It is the story of his ordeal and his sacrifice for the Marines in his unit, and the impact it has on the people who take care of him for his final journey home. This isn't meant to be a political screed for the war, or against it, it is simply one Marine's life and death, and an acknowledgment of his valor. To that end, I hope everyone can see that anyone that smothers a grenade with their body, does so with the expectation that they will not survive, and if they do, it will be with severe injuries. One can only hope, Cpl Dunham is at peace, where ever he may be.

This excellent book is very hard to put down, and will draw the layman into the world of Marine grunts, and the threats they face everyday in Iraq. It also details the ordeal of their relatives at home and the process for injured Marines returning to the US. Highly recommended.

With our country deeply divided today over whether we should be deploying our troops to fight and possibly die in Iraq, we all need to understand and appreciate the heroics and sacrifices of those brave warriors who have gone and who continue to go in harm's way in Iraq. Michael Phillips has written a not-to-be-missed intimate account of one of our bravest and most special warriors from Iraq, the late Corporal Jason L. Dunham, United States Marine Corps.

Corporal Dunham was leading his Marines on a patrol near the Syrian border on April 14, 2004 when he was attacked by an insurgent armed with a hidden hand grenade. While fighting hand-to-hand, the insurgent dropped the grenade. Dunham instantly recognized the danger, and he unhesitatingly covered the grenade with his helmet in the hope of protecting his closest Marines from the blast. Dunham's heroic actions saved the lives of his Marines, but eventually cost him his own life a few days later when he succumbed to his massive injuries. Dunham was posthumously nominated for the Medal of Honor.

Phillips' meticulously researched and non-exaggerated descriptions of the hostile and unpredictable Iraqi battlefield; Dunham's actions leading up to his selfless sacrifice; the wartime medical reporting and processing system; Dunham's reunion with his family at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD; and his family's faith and strength in the days leading up to his death on April 22, made this book one of the most powerful and holistic war stories I have ever read.

I was moved by how Phillips was able to put into words how Marines think, act, speak, and react, and how he captured the cult-like love and respect shown for one of our fallen comrades. However, I was most deeply touched by how special and courageous Corporal Dunham, who was born on the 206th birthday of the United States Marine Corps (November 10, 1981), was to all who knew him. I wish that I had had the honor of serving with him.

Today, on the 230th birthday of the Marine Corps, I recommend every citizen of our great country read this book to honor the life and death of a true American hero, Corporal Jason L. Dunham.

Marine Corporal Jason L. Dunham was one of those rough men. And all Americans owe their freedom to men like Cpl. Dunham, who loved his family, his friends, and his country.

Jason Dunham had the gift of valor, and Michael Phillips has the gift of storytelling.

People who knew Jason Dunham for years loved, admired, and respected him. People who knew him for only a short time loved, admired, and respected him. People who casually came into contact with him noted his politeness, friendliness, willingness to help strangers, and his million-dollar smile that could light up a room. It has been said that he would give you the shirt off his back and the last dollar in his pocket, and, even then, he would still have his smile to share.

What is amazing, however, is the effect that Jason Dunham had on others after he was mortally wounded and while he was under the care of the US military's medical personnel in Iraq, Germany, and the United States. Even though he was unconscious for the entire time, Jason had a profound and lasting impact on the lives of many of those who had contact with him during the eight days that he struggled to survive after he was wounded.

And what I find most amazing of all is the effect that this outstanding Marine and his very, very moving story have had on me. Even though I never had the pleasure or the honor of meeting him, Jason Dunham is one person whom I will never forget. He was, undoubtedly and in many ways, a most remarkable young man.

I have read literally hundreds of books in my life. This is one that I will never forget.

Read this book. And, if you can get all the way through it without crying, you are a stronger person than I.

"The Gift of Valor: A War Story," by Michael M. Phillips, is a nonfiction account of the odyssey of Jason Dunham, a young corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps. He suffered a massive injury while engaged in combat in Iraq in 2004. The book covers Jason's family background, his service in the Marine Corps, the circumstances of his injury, and his journey from a trauma tent in Iraq to military hospitals in Baghdad and Germany, and ultimately back to the United States. Phillips shows the impact Jason's injury has on his fellow Marines, on his family, and on the many medical personnel who had hands in his care.

The book is rich in vivid details about wartime life in Iraq. Phillips really gives a feel for some of the aspects of daily life in different posts. The book also includes many fascinating technical details about the medications, hardware, and techniques used by medical personnel to care for both Jason and other wounded individuals. Phillips also writes frankly about the weapons and violence of the Iraq war, and includes some unflinchingly graphic descriptions of the horrific wounds suffered by Jason and others. Along the way Phillips creates a truly moving portrait of his young hero. The book also features many striking passages about the other people who play roles in Jason's story. Among these remarkable individuals are a Marine, born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents, who is devoted to his job as a translator and bodyguard; a Ghana-born Muslim who serves as a U.S. Army chaplain; a Puerto Rican medical-surgical nurse on duty in Baghdad; and the top enlisted man at the naval hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. The portraits of these, and many other individuals, bring a great diversity and depth to the overall story.

The book's "About the Author" page identifies Phillips as a staff reporter for "The Wall Street Journal" and notes further that he has done four "tours" in Iraq with the Marines. In an afterword Phillips notes this book "is based mostly on interviews with the men and women who played a role in Jason Dunham's story"; he adds that, with very few exceptions, he interviewed every person named in the book. Phillips also notes that he "relied on letters, essays, personal journals, and medical records," as well as other documents, in the writing of this book. The extensive research that went into the book really shows; as a veteran of Iraq service myself, I can say that the book has the ring of authenticity. Phillips' prose style--crisp, clean, focused on facts--is well suited to the subject matter. Full of truly stunning scenes, this is a book that is both illuminating and deeply moving. I hope that through this book more people will learn of Jason Dunham's story. "The Gift of Valor" is a truly essential addition to the growing canon of Iraq War literature.