Page 24 - History of War - Issue 10-14

Frontline
HEROESANDINNOVATORS

Meetsixoftheincrediblemenwhose

engineering inspiration or battlefield heroism
madegrenadesapartofhistory

WILLIAMKYLECARPENTER
THREW HIMSELF ON A LIVE GRENADE TO SAVE HIS FELLOW MARINE

Years 1989 to present toplacehisbodybetweenitand
Country US Eufrazio to shield his comrade.
On 21 November 2010, Lance The ensuing blast was directed
Corporal Carpenter was manning mostly downwards through the
arooftoppositionataUSpatrol roof the marines were positioned
base in the notorious Helmand on, sending debris falling into the
Province, Afghanistan. When compound. Carpenter suffered
insurgents attacked the base in multiple facial and skull fractures,
full daylight, Carpenter and fellow a collapsed lung, as well as
marine Nicholas Eufrazio became shrapnel wounds all over his
pinned down by small arms fire body. After over 30 operations
andeventuallyseveralgrenades andovertwoandhalfyearsin
were hurled into the base. Still hospital, Carpenter recovered from
unable to accurately locate their his injuries. He was awarded the
enemy, the marines were forced Medal of Honor in June 2014.
to take cover in their position.
When a grenade fell directly on
LanceCorporalCarpenterlost
themarines’position,Carpenter his right eye and much of his
made the split-second decision lower jaw in the grenade blast

USMarinesinactionin
Afghanistan in 2014.

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