I know that most modern-day Marines have heard General John F. Kelly’s “Six Seconds to Live” speech, either at Boot Camp, SOI, or at a Marine Corps Ball. The speech tells the story of Cpl Jonathan Yale and LCpl Jordan Haerter, who were both serving as Riflemen, in 3d Platoon, Weapons Company, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, Regimental Combat Team 1, I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. It was 22 April 2008, and the two were manning the Entry Control Point (ECP) for Joint Security Station Nasser in Ramadi, Iraq.

While manning their post, at 7:45 am, a truck turned the corner and accelerated towards the checkpoint. While the Iraqi police ran, the two Marines, did what any two good Marines would do, they engaged the truck with extreme violence, unleashing a torrent of lead, from their M249 SAW and M4.

They were able to stop the suicide bomber, helping them find their way into hell, but not fast enough as the bomb detonated, killing both Yale and Haerter. Both Marines were awarded the Navy Cross (Posthumously) for their actions, that saved 150 Marines who were inside the compound.

I don’t recall when and where I heard this story before, but you can see it re-enacted in “The 11th Order” on YouTube. The short got its name from the Marine Corps, 11th General Order, “To be especially watchful at night, and during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post and to allow no one to pass without proper authority.”

Here is General Kelly himself reading that same speech
Here is actual video and photos of this incident