3/1 honors fallen Marine

News: 3/1 honors fallen Marine

Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs

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Marines with Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, salute to honor Cpl. Max W. Donahue during a memorial service at Forward Operating Base Delhi, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug. 21. Donahue was killed Aug. 7, while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELHI, Afghanistan – Cpl. Max W. Donahue was remembered by his fellow Marines during a memorial service at Forward Operating Base Delhi, Aug. 21.

Donahue, a military dog handler with I Marine Expeditionary Force, was killed in action Aug. 7, while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was 23 years old.

“Cpl. Donahue knew the risk, just like all of you here today. Yet he strapped on his gear with his partner Fenji, went out every day without complaint and without hesitation,” said Lt.Col. Benjamin Watson, the commanding officer for 3/1. “He fought and died as a member of the ‘Thundering Third,’ and so we meet here today to both honor and remember him.”

Donahue was from Kingwood, Texas, and entered the Marine Corps, July 17, 2006.

“When Max joined our unit he was assigned Fenji. Fenji was a new dog, straight from the school house,” said Cpl. Daniel Cornier, a friend and military police dog handler. “Max worked with Fenji none stop before our deployment to make sure she was ready. He was very serious when it came to work.”

Nearly every Marine on Forward Operating Base Delhi attended the memorial and paid their respects to their fallen brother.

“He was a great Marine and a great friend. He and another Marine, Cpl. Karim Rafehi were best friends,” said Cornier. “He was always looking out for Rafehi and making sure he stayed out of trouble. He was like a big brother to him in a way.”

The short, quiet ceremony was marked by Bible verses and prayers honoring Donahue.

Final roll was called; three times for Cpl. Max W. Donahue. Donahue’s name was called only to be answered by silence. Taps followed in a final farewell.

“Max was the kind of guy that everyone got along with,” said Cornier. “He was always making all the guys laugh, no matter what the situation was.”

“He would always find the brighter part of any situation, whether it was a training operation, or if we were just having a bad day. He would come out with some kind of joke or funny saying to make us all laugh,” said Cornier.

Donahue’s awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and NATO ISAF Medal.