Navy Cross for Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan W. Gifford Postumously

Marine Receives Navy Cross Posthumously
The Daily News
Jacksonville, N.C.
by Thomas Brennan
Jun 18, 2014

Extraordinary heroism, decisive actions, bold initiative and dedication to duty led one Marine to be posthumously awarded the nation's second-highest award for valor in combat. But Marine generals urged those in attendance at the award ceremony to remember Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan W. Gifford not only for how he died, but for how he lived.

Gifford's widow Lesa stood with their five children as Gen. John M. Paxton, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, presented the Navy Cross alongside 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion Commander Maj. Gen. Mark A. Clark during a ceremony on Tuesday at Marine Special Operations Command Headquarters at Stone Bay aboard Camp Lejeune.

Gifford, team chief for Hotel Company, 2nd MSOB, was conducting what was to be a routine cordon and search mission on July 29, 2012, in Bala Bokan, Afghanistan, alongside the rest of Team 8232 and Afghan commandos when they came under enemy machine gun fire. According to the award citation, Gifford crossed 800 meters of open terrain to perform first aid on wounded Afghan commandos and helped move the casualties to a landing zone for medical evacuation. Then he went back while still under gunfire to return to the fight.

"The other commandos were pinned down under heavy enemy fire, and sustained more casualties," reads the citation. "Realizing the Afghan force was in jeopardy, Gunnery Sergeant Gifford gathered extra ammunition and, accompanied by a fellow Marine, crossed the same open terrain under fire to reinforce the beleaguered Afghans ... He continued to attack until he fell mortally wounded."
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