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== Medal of Honor ==

== Medal of Honor ==

On the afternoon of Dec. 4, 2006, McGinnis and his platoon were on a patrol in Adhamiyah to restrict enemy movement and quell sectarian violence. McGinnis was manning the gunner’s hatch on one of the patrol Humvee's. During the course of the patrol, an unidentified insurgent positioned on a rooftop nearby threw a fragmentation grenade into the Humvee. It flew past McGinnis and down through the hatch before lodging near the radio. His platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Cedric Thomas of Longview, Texas, recalled what happened next.  

On the afternoon of Dec. 4, 2006, McGinnis and his platoon were on a patrol in Adhamiyah to restrict enemy movement and quell sectarian violence. McGinnis was manning the gunner’s hatch on one of the patrol Humvee's. During the course of the patrol, an unidentified insurgent positioned on a rooftop nearby threw a fragmentation grenade into the Humvee. It flew past McGinnis and down through the hatch before lodging near the radio. His platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Cedric Thomas of Longview, Texas, recalled what happened next.  

{{cquote|Pfc. McGinnis yelled "Grenade! … It's in the truck!" I looked out of the corner of my eye as I was crouching down and I saw him pin it down. He had time to jump out of the truck. He chose not to. He gave his life to save his crew and his platoon sergeant. He's a hero. He's a professional. He was just an awesome guy.<ref name=DoD/>}}  

{{cquote|Pfc. McGinnis yelled "Grenade! … It's in the truck!" I looked out of the corner of my eye as I was crouching down and I saw him pin it down. He had time to jump out of the truck. He chose not to. … He gave his life to save his crew and his platoon sergeant. He's a hero. He's a professional. He was just an awesome guy.<ref name=DoD/>}}  

Without hesitation or regard for his own life, McGinnis threw his back over the grenade, pinning it between his body and the Humvee's radio mount. McGinnis absorbed all lethal fragments and the concussive effects of the grenade with his own body. McGinnis, who was a private first class at the time, was posthumously promoted to specialist. His heroic actions and tragic death saved the lives of four other soldier's with him in the Humvee; three of the soldiers with McGinnis who were wounded that day have returned to duty, while the fourth remained in Germany to recover from wounds received.

Without hesitation or regard for his own life, McGinnis threw his back over the grenade, pinning it between his body and the Humvee's radio mount. McGinnis absorbed all lethal fragments and the concussive effects of the grenade with his own body. McGinnis, who was a private first class at the time, was posthumously promoted to specialist. His heroic actions and tragic death saved the lives of four other soldier's with him in the Humvee; three of the soldiers with McGinnis who were wounded that day have returned to duty, while the fourth remained in Germany to recover from wounds received.