Jason Dunham was a Marine, and he was proud to be a Marine. His story begins with his birthday, 10 November 1981. It's a date that many people would disregard as just another day. But if you ask a Marine to tell you about that day, he or she will do so with pride. November 10th is the Marine Corps birthday, a day every marine stops to remember those who have gone before them.

During the summer of 2004, I was privileged to visit with the Dunham family in the small town of Scio (sigh-oh), in upstate New York. It had been two months since they had lost their son in Iraq, but the Dunham's opened their home to me as if I had known them all my life. It was during this time I got to know who Jason really was and what he had done to save his fellow marines. There were funny stories, every day stories, and stories that made you sit up in your chair.

As I plunged back into one of the largest cities in the world, Los Angeles, I realized a piece of me was still in Scio. The values and feelings of community that were bestowed upon me, made me realize that sometimes less is better. There was a sense of belonging in that small town I hadn't felt since I'd moved to Los Angeles more than ten years ago. It was as if everyone was a part of something much larger. People stop to say hello, leave their doors unlocked, and come together when one of their own has fallen. It was a big little city all its own.

You will learn the story of Jason Dunham through interviews with his family, fellow Marines, and never before seen footage from the streets of Husayba and Ramadi. It will give you a sense of what it must feel like to be on the ground in the midst of a chaotic situation.