The Medal of Honor

During the time when the US forces were deployed in Afghanistan in order to tackle the attacks of the Talibans , two American marines were locked in a firefight with some Talibans. 

Just then a hand grenade came and landed besides them. One of the marines, Corporal Kyle Carpenter made a decision in a fraction of a second and jumped upon the grenade. He used his own body as a shield in order to protect his fellow mariner! 

His full name is William Kyle Carpenter. He was born in Jackson, Mississippi on October 19,1989.He had enlisted in the Marine Corps' program on February 2009 at the age of 19 years. He was deployed in Afghanistan the very next year as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom. 

After around five months in Afghanistan in a war zone, that fateful day arrived which changed his life for ever. That day was November 21 2010. Kyle and his teammate were defending a small village named Marjah in Helmand Province in Afghanistan, from the Taliban attack. Just then a grenade came and landed besides them, and Kyle jumped over it. The grenade exploded and Kyle suffered many grave injuries. His body was riddled with shrapnel and the bones in his skull and face were shattered. He lost an eye, most of his teeth, part of his jaw, his one lung collapsed and he was declared dead upon arrival at camp Bastion. 

However doctors were able to bring him back to life three times. He survived and had to undergo forty complex surgeries in the course of the next two years. He made an amazing recovery! 

He was awarded the Purple Heart for his bravery. And received the Medal of Honor, the highest military honor of U. S. A. from President Barack Obama. He is the youngest living Medal of Honor recipient.