| Aubrey Leon McDade Jr. | |
| Birth Date: | 29 July 1981 |
| Birth Place: | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Placeofburial Label: | Place of burial |
| Allegiance: |  United States |
| Serviceyears: | 1999 - 2019 |
| Rank: | Gunnery sergeant[1] |
| Unit: | 1st Battalion, 8th Marines |
| Battles: | Global War on Terrorism |
| Awards: | Navy Cross Navy Achievement Medal Combat Action Ribbon Navy Unit Commendation Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal Iraq Campaign Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Global War On Terrorism Service Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal |
Aubrey Leon McDade Jr. (born July 29, 1981) is a retired United States Marine who was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions in the Iraq War, in which he rescued two U.S. Marines during an enemy ambush during the Second Battle of Fallujah, in November 2004.[2] [3] He is the fifteenth U.S. Marine to receive the Navy Cross in the Global War on Terrorism.
McDade enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in November 1999, after graduating from Western Hills High School in Fort Worth, Texas.
McDade's first tour of duty in the Iraq War was from March 2003, to October 2003. He returned to Iraq for a second deployment from June 2004 through February 2005.
On the night of November 11, 2004, during the Second Battle of Fallujah, McDade was a machine gun squad leader with 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, attached at the time to the Regimental Combat Team 7 (RCT 7) when his squad was attacked and pinned down by small arms and machine gun fire in an alley that injured three Marines. McDade, in the rear, rushed to the front of his squad to direct machine gun fire at the attackers. Under fire, McDade then rescued two of the wounded Marines, one at a time. The third Marine was killed in the attack and his body was recovered. McDade was originally awarded the Silver Star for his action; the award was subsequently upgraded to the Navy Cross.[4]
As a Drill Instructor training new Marine Corps recruits, Staff Sergeant McDade's Navy Cross was presented in formation during graduation of one of the recruit classes on January 19, 2007, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. Four days later Staff Sergeant McDade was the guest of First Lady Laura Bush at the State of the Union Address on January 23, 2007.[5] [6]