President Barack Obama awarded his 39th Medal of Honor to a young man who threw himself to take the hit of a grenade four years ago in Afghanistan to help protect his friend and fellow officer.
Kyle Carpenter received this honor Thursday as the eighth living officer to be awarded for his or her actions in Iraq or Afghanistan reports Fox News. Carpenter was injured back in November of 2010 when the third grenade out of three potential attacks landed near him and Lance Cpl. Nicholas Eufrazio. Carpenter placed himself between the two and took most of the damages with him including the loss of his right eye and jaw.
Marine Corps Time notes that Carpenter spoke about his experience and debated the decisions made as a Marine. “If I close my eyes, I can still hear their desperate medevacs being called over the radio,” says Carpenter when reflecting on the day off the attack.
Obama also honored the doctor, Walter Reed, who worked on Carpenter and ensured him a longer lifetime by performing forty surgeries.