Dakota Meyer Medal of Honor: U.S. Marine Who Saved 36 Lives Says He’s Not a Hero

Amid a time of seemingly endless partisan bickering between Democrats and Republicans in Washington, United States Marine Corps Sgt. Dakota Meyer has shown everyone inside the beltway the bipartisan way.

Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama at the White House for -- ignoring orders to stay put and preserve this life -- fighting his way five times into an ambush in an Afghan ravine, helping to rescue 36 comrades and to recover the remains of four dead American servicemen.

Meyer is the first living recipient from the Marine Corps to receive the award -- the nation's highest award for valor.

It may be a platform for representation of the guys who are out there fighting every day, Meyer, 23, said before the ceremony, The New York Times reported. My story is one of millions, and the others aren't often told.

You get the medal, and you start going about your life, Meyer added.

Meyer Epitomizes The Few, The Proud -- The Marines

In acts of courage that are hard to fathom, over the course of six hours, Meyer charged five times into the firefight, jumping from behind a vehicle's armor, rescuing 23 Afghans and 13 Americans, and killing eight Taliban while taking a bullet in the arm, the U.S. Marine Corp said. He also headed into the heart of the contested ground to retrieve the bodies of four Americans who had been killed. He asked that his medal be dedicated to their memory.

What's more, after all of his valiant efforts, Meyer does not consider himself a hero. The heroes are the men and women still serving, Meyer said.

Meyer, of Greensburg, Ky. Risked his life continually amid a trap set by the Taliban: the Taliban, numbering about 50, were firing from three directions.

Dakota later confessed, President Obama said, regarding the fighting in Ganjigal, I didn't think I was going to die. I knew I was.

Meyer had only one request for President Obama: that the two have a beer together, which the two did on the White House Patio, nydailynews.com reported. Meyer also asked that his medal be dedicated to those four Americans killed in the battle, bodies Meyer risked his life retrieving.

U.S. Defense/Public Policy Analysis: There are no words that can thank Sgt. Meyer enough for his selfless actions, other than to say he is the very best the United States has to offer. Meyer is an American hero.