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Report: Marines Exaggerated Story of Medal of Honor Recipient

HeadlineDec 15, 2011

The U.S. Marine Corps is being accused of embellishing and exaggerating the actions of a corporal recently awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for valor. On September 15, President Obama bestowed the medal on Dakota Meyer for supposedly carrying out a number of acts, including rescuing two dozen Afghan soldiers, saving 13 U.S. service members, and personally killing eight insurgents at extremely close range. According to dozens of documents uncovered by McClatchy news, crucial parts of the story are either untrue, unsubstantiated or exaggerated. At the time Meyer was awarded his medal, lawmakers and officers were reportedly pressuring the military to award more Medals of Honor because few were conferred in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is unclear if the White House knew President Obama was detailing an embellished story when presenting Meyer with the award.

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