Gunnery Sgt. Aubrey McDade
1st Battalion, 8th Marines
Fallujah, Iraq, Nov. 11, 2004
Award: Navy Cross
Shortly after departing their base in Fallujah, then-Sgt. McDade and 1/8 Bravo Company’s 1st Platoon entered an alley and encountered an immediate heavy volume of small arms and machine gun fire. In the opening seconds of the engagement, three Marines were seriously wounded as the well positioned and expecting enemy pinned others down. On contact, McDade rushed from the rear of the platoon column toward the kill zone and immediately deployed a machine gun team into the alley to provide suppressive fire on the enemy. After several attempts to reach casualties in the alley were met with heavy, well-aimed machine gun fire, he showed total disregard for his own safety by moving across the alley and successfully extracting the first of three wounded Marines from the kill zone. Aware of the fact that there were still two wounded Marines in the alley, McDade dashed through the heart of the kill zone two more times, each time braving intense enemy fire to successfully retrieve a Marine. After extracting the last casualty from the kill zone, he assisted in their treatment and medical evacuation. His quick thinking and aggressive actions were crucial in saving the lives of two of the three casualties. (U.S. Marine Corps photos by Staff Sgt. Jonathan C. Knauth & Sgt. Kenneth Trotter)
SEMPER FI Gunney McDade! Thank You for retrieving 3 and saving the lives of 2 Marines.
Awsome job blessings all ty for all our services stay safe safe journey s
A Marines Marine!! Semper Fi’ Gunny. Thank you.
Thank you GySgt McDade for continuing to carry the torch. ??
GySgt McDade you make Gunny’s proud all over the Corps and Retired as well!! Semper Fi brother! Stay Strong ?!
JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE FOR A TRUE MARINE! GOD BLESS THEM ALL!
Absolutely! Carry on! Semper Fidelis!
OORAH, get some, Gunny!!! The six years which I spent as a Gunnery Sergeant, from 1975 to 1981 were the best years of my Marine Corps career, and I’ve heard that expressed by other lifers. There is nothing that a Gunny cannot do, and he is expected to work miracles. Regardless of what you did, it was considered a miracle, and in the case of GySgt McDade it really was. Semper Fi!!
Thank you all for everything you did and continue to do… truly, heroes who placed their lives on the line… we can’t thank you enough!
God bless you all… a nurse, marine mom in law
THE GUNNY HAD ANGEL’S PROTECTING & DEFLECTING THOSE BULLETS WHICH WOULD HAVE KILLED BOTH HIM & THOSE WHOM HE WAS EXTRICATING !!!!!! WELL DONE GUNNY, BUT PLEASE GIVE FATHER GOD THE PRAISE & CREDIT FOR YOUR PROTECTION……OOORAH & SEMPER FIDELIS !!!!!!
FYI: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GUNNY & TO ALL MARIEN’S WORLDWIDE ON NOV. 10–#244 !!!!!
PVT. WHITLOCK, USMC-VOL. (SINCE 2012)
MOS #0000—ID #1911-30-06
A true Marine, and a super credit to a long line of Americans. He makes me proud to be a Marine. My time is short, but this account fills my heart. I hope to see him on the other side. Happy Birthday
November 10th
He made my tired old bones feel good remember my days. Oohrah Gunny and many thanks to you for your selfless acts. Semper Fi and god bless!
Gunny, what a true Hero you are! I served in our beloved Corps many years ago but reading about what Gunny did that did made me feel so proud of him and all of our Marines! Semper Fi and Happy Birthday Guuny and to all Marines!?✈️?
Wow!! The Gunnery Sergeant shows the TRUE meaning of the Corps!!
A true hero and great American. Semper Fi Gunny.
Semper Fi Gunney…That’s what we do for our brothers and country!
Congrats on being a leader that junior Marines strive to become Semper FI Gunny
Gunnery Sgt. McDade may not consider himself a hero but he definitely is a Mainies Marine. Semper-Fi Sgt. McDade and God Speed.
Outstanding! Ooohrahhhh Marine! Semper Fidelis!
Another account of a fine man who I am proud to call a Brother. Semper Fi Gunny. Your actions make us ALL very proud. And thankful.
Marine Gunny Sgts. can do anything.
I think Sgt. McDade should have been nominated for the Medal of Honor.
Semper Fi Gunny we all love ya.
Deserves the CMH. Outstanding bravery and a credit to the United States Marine Corps……
A job well done Gunny.
Semper Fi
Cpl. Joe Ski
Disabled Viet-Nam Veteran
HMM-163
Phu-Bai
OhhhhhRahhhhh
Does not such valor warrant a Medal of Honor?!!
I feel impressed to add just one more thing as a former infantry captain….We call it the Congressional Medal of Honor, but, in truth, I can’t help but think that the heroic actions of GySgt McDade and so many other Marines who uphold the same noble values of tenacious brotherhood are far more honorable than many things coming out of Congress these days!
GySgt McDade….If you perchance should read, then know this….the selflessness you exhibited under fire represents the one thing this planet is woefully lacking these days!
May God bless you, your family, your community, and anywhere else you may plant your feet! And may God bless my Marine Corps for understanding the true nature of brotherhood!
Gunny, you are the true (real deal) hero! You are the best of the best. I applaud and honor you Sir. Because of you I am proud to be part of the marine Corps family! If you’re ever in Utah, contact me for a true American Hero welcome. SEMPER FI brother!
Thank you for your service, Sgt. McDade. You are a true hero . Marines are the first to go in, and the last to come out ! God bless you, and all the Marines ! And, God bless, the USA !
Gunny, Well done. You ARE what all Marines strive to be.
Highly motivating to read, Congratulations and Thank you to Gunnery Sgt. Aubrey McDade. Makes me proud to be American,
And as a former , non-combat Marine, a reminder to take it up a notch in my daily life, and honor such a Marine. OoRah.
Worthy of MOH
Robert Rivera, corporal, 0311, 70/72
Should have been the CMH… Semper Fi
OOHRAH! WAY TO GO GUNNY!
This is what marines do in battle. They lookout and they take care of there own. Outstanding Job Gunny Semper Fi till I die