Ross Andrew McGinnis was a United States Army soldier and recipient of the Medal of Honor. He was born on June 14, 1987, in Meadville, Pennsylvania.

Ross McGinnis enlisted in the Army in 2006 and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. He deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

On December 4, 2006, during his deployment in Iraq, McGinnis was serving as a machine gunner in a Humvee convoy in the Adhamiyah neighborhood of Baghdad. As the convoy moved through the area, an insurgent on a nearby rooftop threw a fragmentation grenade into McGinnis’ vehicle.

Recognizing the immediate danger to his comrades, McGinnis made a split-second decision to sacrifice his own life to save others. Instead of jumping out of the vehicle to safety, he shouted a warning to his crew and threw himself onto the live grenade, absorbing the blast with his body and protecting his fellow soldiers.

Ross McGinnis’ selfless act of heroism saved the lives of four soldiers who were inside the vehicle. His bravery and sacrifice were recognized with the Medal of Honor.

On June 2, 2008, President George W. Bush presented the Medal of Honor to McGinnis’ parents during a ceremony at the White House. He became the fourth Medal of Honor recipient for actions in Iraq and the first posthumous recipient from the Iraq War. His citation reads: “Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis’ extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.”

Ross McGinnis’ story stands as a testament to the courage and sacrifice exhibited by soldiers in the face of grave danger. His legacy serves as an inspiration to others and a reminder of the remarkable bravery displayed by those who serve in the U.S. military.

Medal of Honor Citation

Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an M2 .50-caliber Machine Gunner, 1st Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, in connection with combat operations against an armed enemy in Adhamiyah, Northeast Baghdad, Iraq, on December 4, 2006.

That afternoon his platoon was conducting combat control operations in an effort to reduce and control sectarian violence in the area. While Private McGinnis was manning the M2 .50-caliber Machine Gun, a fragmentation grenade thrown by an insurgent fell through the gunner’s hatch into the vehicle. Reacting quickly, he yelled “grenade,” allowing all four members of his crew to prepare for the grenade’s blast. Then, rather than leaping from the gunner’s hatch to safety, Private McGinnis made the courageous decision to protect his crew. In a selfless act of bravery, in which he was mortally wounded, Private McGinnis covered the live grenade, pinning it between his body and the vehicle and absorbing most of the explosion.

Private McGinnis’ gallant action directly saved four men from certain serious injury or death. Private First Class McGinnis’ extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.