William Kyle Carpenter was born on the 19th of October, 1989, in Jackson, Mississippi. William, who goes by the name Kyle, was raised in Flowood, Mississippi, and at the age of 19, enlisted in the Marine Corps delayed entry program in February of 2009. After completing training at the Camp Geiger School of Infantry at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Kyle was deployed to Helmand Province in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Here, he was a squad automatic weapon, or SAW, gunner from July of 2010 to November of 2010. It was in a small village near Marjah that Kyle’s actions not only saved lives, but earned him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an Automatic Rifleman with Company F, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 1, 1st Marine Division (Forward), I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on 21 November 2010. Lance Corporal Carpenter was a member of a platoon-sized coalition force, comprised of two reinforced Marine rifle squads partnered with an Afghan National Army squad. The platoon had established Patrol Base Dakota two days earlier in a small village in the Marjah District in order to disrupt enemy activity and provide security for the local Afghan population. Lance Corporal Carpenter and a fellow Marine were manning a rooftop security position on the perimeter of Patrol Base Dakota when the enemy initiated a daylight attack with hand grenades, one of which landed inside their sandbagged position. Without hesitation and with complete disregard for his own safety, Lance Corporal Carpenter moved toward the grenade in an attempt to shield his fellow Marine from the deadly blast. When the grenade detonated, his body absorbed the brunt of the blast, severely wounding him, but saving the life of his fellow Marine. By his undaunted courage, bold fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of almost certain death, Lance Corporal Carpenter reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

The fellow Marine mentioned in the citation is Nick Eufrazio, a Lance Corporal at the time, and although knocked unconscious during the blast, did survive. Kyle was found alive but in a pool of blood and because of quick medical attention, made it home to begin the long revery process. He was originally coded at PEA, or patient expired upon arrival, but had been revived twice and received 12 pints of blood and once stable in Germany, was flown back to the US. His right arm had a total of 34 fractures and bones broken so badly, doctors first thought they would have to amputate. For the weeks that followed, Kyle underwent skin grafts, surgeries, and even leeches to help control the blood pools under the skin. He had to be medicated simply to have his bandages changed but eventually took his first steps and continues down the hall and around the nurses station. Kyle received a new eye and after a year of being at Walter Reed Medical center, he began the rest of his recovery at home.

When Kyle received the Medal of Honor from President Obama at the White House, his family, his friends, his squad, and almost all of his medical team were present to witness the event. He has gone on to college at the University of South Carolina and participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly integrated Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and has helped raise money for the Fisher House Foundation, which helps veterans and families receiving treatment at military hospitals have free and low-cost housing. William Kyle Carpenter received the medal of honor on the 19th of June, 2014 and is the youngest living recipient today.