Dakota Meyer
| Dakota Meyer | |
|---|---|
Sgt. Dakota L. Meyer. November 2011
|
|
| Birth name | Dakota Louis Meyer |
| Born |
June 26, 1988 Columbia, Kentucky, United States |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Marine Corps
|
| Years of service | 2006–2010 |
| Rank |
 Sergeant
|
| Unit |
Embedded Training Team 2-8 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines |
| Battles/wars |
Iraq War War in Afghanistan • Battle of Ganjgal (WIA) |
| Awards |
 Medal of Honor Purple Heart Navy Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device Navy Achievement Medal
|
| Spouse(s) |
Cassandra Wain (m. 2008; div. 2010) Bristol Palin (m. 2016) |
| Other work | Into the Fire (2012) |
Dakota Louis Meyer (born June 26, 1988) is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and the War in Afghanistan. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Ganjgal on September 8, 2009, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Meyer is the second youngest living Medal of Honor recipient, the third living recipient for either Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan and the first living Marine in 38 years to be so honored.
Meyer was born and raised in Columbia, Kentucky, the son of Felicia Gilliam and Michael Meyer. In 2006, after graduation from Green County High School, he enlisted in the Marine Corps at a recruiting station in Louisville, Kentucky and completed basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island.
Meyer deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, in 2007 as a scout sniper with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines. He gained national attention for his actions in Afghanistan during his second deployment in Kunar Province with Embedded Training Team 2-8.
On September 8, 2009, near the village of Ganjgal, Meyer learned that three Marines and a Navy corpsman, who were members of Meyer's squad and his friends, were missing after being ambushed by a group of insurgents. Under enemy fire, Meyer entered an area known to be inhabited by insurgents and eventually found the four missing servicemen dead and stripped of their weapons, body armor and radios. With the help of Afghan soldiers, he moved the bodies to a safer area where they could be extracted. During his search, Meyer "personally evacuated 12 friendly wounded and provided cover for another 24 Marines and soldiers to escape likely death at the hands of a numerically superior and determined foe."
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Wikipedia