Attention All Hands

Corporal Jason Clairday to receive the Navy Cross

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — In his final hours spent battling insurgents in
Iraq, Cpl. Jason Clairday defied the enemy fighters and their AK47
fire to lead members of his infantry squad in a close-quarters urban
fight to protect their fallen and wounded friends.

Before the day was over, Clairday, a 21-year-old fire team leader from
Salem, Ark., was killed, but not before several injured buddies were
evacuated and the insurgent-held position in Fallujah's Askari
district was destroyed.

For his actions, "decisive leadership" and "unlimited courage" that
day — Dec. 12, 2004 — Clairday will receive the Navy Cross, the
nation's second-highest military award for combat valor, next Monday,
Marine Corps officials said Thursday.

Col. Larry Nicholson, 5th Marines commander, will present the medal to
Clairday's family during a morning ceremony that will be held at the
base's San Mateo camp, home to the regiment and 3rd Battalion, 5th
Marines, nicknamed the "Darkhorse" battalion.

Clairday, a member of 3/5's Kilo Company, will be the sixth member of
the battalion to receive the Navy Cross for actions in Iraq.

On the day of the fateful firefight, Clairday and his squad were doing
a security sweep of the Askari neighborhood when insurgent fighters
attacked members of 3rd Platoon. Clairday "immediately repositioned
his men and jumped a four-foot gap three stories up onto the roof of
the enemy stronghold where a mortally wounded Marine lay, isolated by
the enemy," the award citation states.

Clairday threw several fragmentation grenades to lead the attack into
the house, but "he was immediately hit with AK47 rifle fire in both
legs and fell into the kill zone."

But the young Marine wasn't about to stop.

"Under heavy enemy fire, he continued to aggressively engage the enemy
while extracting himself from the doorway. Without regard for his own
wounds, he rejoined the squad making entry and entered the house a
second time," the citation states. "Once inside, he took control of
the stack and repositioned himself in the front while suppressing the
enemy using fragmentation grenades and his rifle. Again, without
concern for his own safety, Corporal Clairday led the Marines into the
room where he single-handedly attacked the insurgents and received
mortal wounds.

"His courageous actions enabled reinforcing assault elements to
destroy the insurgent position."

Clairday later died of his wounds, officials said, and he was one of
five members of 3/5 who were killed in the fighting in Fallujah that
day.

After Clairday's death, the pastor at his hometown church told a local
newspaper about the young Marine's devotion to others. "He exhibited
all the attributes of goodness," the Rev. John Hodges told The
Associated Press. "He asked me, 'What do I do to send my money home to
the church for tithes?' He was always thoughtful about those things.
He thought more of others and their needs than he did of himself."

Clairday married his wife, Sarah, just weeks before his 2004 deployment.

The citation
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the NAVY
CROSS posthumously to:

Corporal Jason S. Clairday

United States Marine Corps

CITATION:

For extraordinary heroism as Fire Team Leader, 1st Squad, 2nd Platoon,
Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 1, 1st
Marine Division, during Operation Iraqi Freedom on 12 December 2004.
While conducting a security sweep in the Askari District of al
Fallujah, a platoon-sized insurgent force engaged 3rd Platoon.
Corporal Clairday immediately repositioned his men and jumped a four
foot gap three stories up onto the roof of the enemy stronghold where
a mortally wounded Marine lay, isolated by the enemy. After throwing
several fragmentation grenades, Corporal Clairday fiercely led the
attack into the house. He was immediately hit with AK-47 rifle fire in
both legs and fell into the kill zone. Under heavy enemy fire, he
continued to aggressively engage the enemy while extracting himself
from the doorway. Without regard for his own wounds, he rejoined the
squad making entry and entered the house a second time. Once inside,
he took control of the stack and repositioned himself in the front
while suppressing the enemy using fragmentation grenades and his
rifle. Again, without concern for his own safety, Corporal Clairday
led the Marines into the room where he single-handedly attacked the
insurgents and received mortal wounds. His courageous actions enabled
reinforcing assault elements to destroy the insurgent position. By his
outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the
face of heavy enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, Corporal
Clairday reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest
traditions of the United States Marine Corps and the United States
Naval Service.

And yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. God Speed, Semper Fi, Jason. You done well.