From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Megan McClung
Megan McClung
Megan M. McClung Biography
Early life; education; family
Megan Malia Leilani McClung was born on April 14, 1972
in Honolulu, Hawaii to Mike and Re McClung. She was
raised in Orange County, California and graduated from
Mission Viejo High School, Mission Viejo, CA in 1990. Me-
gan became the first woman to attend Admiral Farragut
Academy in New Jersey.
Her family had a history of military service. Her pa-
ternal grandfather served in the United States Army dur-
ing World War II, and her father was a U.S. Marine Corps
infantry officer[2] who served in Vietnam, seeing combat
in the Tet Offensive. Her maternal grandfather was a U.S.
Navy officer and pilot.[3] She attended the United States
Naval Academy,[4] graduating and receiving her officer’s
commission in 1995.
McClung graduated with her master’s degree in Crim-
inology from Boston University in 2006, several months
prior to her death.
Then-Captain McClung in undated USMC photo Marine Corps career; Death in Iraq
Born April 14, 1972(1972-04-14) McClung was commissioned an officer in the Marine
Honolulu, Hawaii Corps in 1995 and served on active duty until 2004, when
Died December 6, 2006(2006-12-06) (aged 34) she entered the Reserves. In 2004, she joined Kellogg,
KIA in Ramadi, Iraq Brown, and Root, an American engineering and construc-
tion company and went to Iraq as a private contractor.[4]
Allegiance United States of America
In 2006, she returned to active duty with the
Service/branch Marines[4] and in January 2006, she was deployed to Iraq
United States Marine Corps as a public affairs officer with the I Marine Expeditionary
Years of service 1995-2006 Force (I MEF). She was promoted to the rank of Major
in June.[5] In December 2006, she was in the final month
Rank Major of a year long deployment to Iraq. On December 6, 2006,
Unit I Marine Expeditionary Force McClung was serving with the I Marine Expeditionary
Force as the Marine Corps head of public affairs for Al An-
Battles/wars Iraq War
bar Province, in charge of embedded journalists.[6] Earli-
Awards Bronze Star er in the day, she had been accompanying Oliver North
Purple Heart with his Fox News camera crew in Ramadi. She subse-
Hawaii Medal of Honor quently was escorting Newsweek journalists into down-
town Ramadi.[7] A massive improvised explosive device
Megan Malia Leilani McClung (April 14, 1972–December (IED) destroyed McClung’s Humvee, instantly killing
6, 2006) was the first female United States Marine Corps McClung and the other two occupants. The Newsweek
officer killed in combat during the Iraq War. Major journalists were not injured.
McClung was serving as a public affairs officer in Al An- McClung was the first female Marine officer to be
bar Province, Iraq when she was killed.[1] killed in the Iraq war,[2] as well as the first female grad-
uate of the United States Naval Academy to be killed in
action since the school was founded in 1845.
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Megan McClung
Major Megan McClung was buried with full military [4] ^ Ritchie, Orange County Register, December 12, 2006.
honors in Arlington National Cemetery on December 19, [5] ^ "Megan Malia Leilani McClung, Major, United
2006.[5][8] States Marine Corps". ArlingtonCemetery.net.
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/
Athletic endeavors mmmcclung.htm.
While in high school and college, McClung competed as a [6] ^ Mitchell, Editor & Publisher, December 12, 2006.
gymnast.[9] [7] Strupp, Editor & Publisher, December 18, 2006.
McClung was a triathlete (having competed in six [8] Fumento, American Spectator, December 27, 2006.
Ironman competitions)[5] and a marathoner. In October [9] "Sponsored athletes". Synflex America.
2006, she organized and ran in the Marine Corps http://www.synflexamerica.com/sponsored.php.
Marathon’s satellite competition, Marine Corps Marathon [10] "Marine Corps Marathon to Run in Iraq". News
Forward[10] in Iraq.[6] Blaze. 2006. http://newsblaze.com/story/
20060807235221nnnn.nb/topstory.html.
[11] ^ "Remarks as Prepared for Delivery: Lt. Gen. Carol
Posthumous honors Mutter (USMC - Ret.)". GOP Convention 2008.
McClung was posthumously honored at Boston Univer- September 4, 2008.
sity’s Metropolitan College 2007 commencement cere- http://portal.gopconvention2008.com/speech/
monies with the 2006 “Excellence in Graduate Study in details.aspx?id=79. Retrieved December 17, 2008.
Criminal Justice”, which was presented by Dr. Daniel "But tonight I want to talk to you about another
LeClair. woman who earned a unique and honored
The second annual Major McClung Memorial Run was distinction in our nation’s history... The daughter
held August 23, 2008 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island of another Marine I served with more than 25 years
to raise money for wounded Marines and their fami- ago, Major Megan McClung."
lies.[3]
Marine LtGen Carol Mutter, honored Major McClung
for her sacrifice during a speech at the Republican Na-
References
tional Convention on September 4, 2008.[11] • American Forces Press Service (December 11, 2006).
In 2008, the first Major Megan M. McClung Memorial "Roadside Bombs Kills Four Soldiers; DoD Identifies
Scholarship will be awarded to a college student by her Previous Casualties". DefenseLink News (U.S.
parents, Drs. Re and Michael and the Women Marines As- Department of Defense).
sociation.[11] http://www.defenselink.mil/News/
In Iraq, Army General Ray Odierno was responsible NewsArticle.aspx?ID=2379. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
for building a state of the art broadcast studio, which al- • "Female USMC Officer Raised In OC Killed In Iraq
lowed live interviews as well as numerous press events, Combat". Los Angeles - NBC4. December 11, 2006.
and he dedicated the studio to Major McClung. Archived from the original on 2006-12-27.
http://web.archive.org/web/20061227164737/
http://www.nbc4.tv/news/10512820/detail.html.
See also Retrieved 2006-12-31.
• Barbara Dulinsky, first female Marine to serve in a • Fumento, Michael (December 27, 2006). "In
combat zone Memoriam:Farewell to Maj. Megan McClung, USMC".
A half-marathon was run at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq on 15 The American Spectator. http://www.spectator.org/
August 2009. The race was named the Major McClung Me- dsp_article.asp?art_id=10794. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
morial Half Marathon and had 400 runners and over 100 • "Megan M. McClung, Major, United States Marine
volunteers. Corps". Arlington National Cemetery. December 19,
• Elizabeth A. Okoreeh-Baah, Marine Captain, first 2006. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/
female to pilot the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. mmmcclung.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
• Mitchell, Greg (December 12, 2006). "Marine Officer
in Iraq Killed — While Escorting Journalists". Editor &
Notes Publisher. http://www.editorandpublisher.com/
[1] NBC4, December 11, 2006. eandp/news/
[2] ^ Rivenburg, Los Angeles Times, December 14, 2006. article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003496042.
[3] ^ Barber, Mike (May 26, 2008). "After Megan died, Retrieved 2006-12-31.
parents learned about the Marine their little girl • Ritchie, Erika I. (December 12, 2006). "O.C. native dies
became". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. in Iraq; The Mission Viejo graduate is the first female
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/ Marine officer killed in the war.". The Orange County
364617_megan26.html?source=rss. Register. http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Megan McClung
news/local/article_1380551.php. Retrieved images%3Fq%3DMegan%2BMcClung%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%
2007-01-06. a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN.
• Rivenburg,, Roy (December 14, 2006). "Marine died Retrieved 2006-12-31.
backing her beliefs; Maj. Megan McClung, proud to
be in Iraq, was a public affairs officer known for her
enthusiasm and athletic prowess. She was killed by a
External links
roadside bomb December 6.". Los Angeles Times. • "First Female Marine Officer Killed In Iraq: Maj.
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me- Megan M. McClung, A Marine Corps Spokeswoman,
mcclung14-2006dec14,0,3326333.story. Retrieved Dies While Escorting Media". CBS News. December 13,
December 17, 2008. 2006. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/
• Strupp, Joe (December 18, 2006). "Marine Officer 13/iraq/main2253759.shtml?source=flashapp.
Who Died In Iraq Had Been Escorting Oliver North Retrieved 2006-12-31.
and ’Newsweek’ Journalist". Editor & Publisher. • Major Megan McClung Memorial Run
http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/ Persondata
article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003523039. Name Macclung, Megan
Retrieved 2006-12-31.
• Zimmerman, Beth (December 12, 2006). "First female Alternative names
leatherneck officer killed in Iraq, Public affairs major Short description
was ‘Marine’s Marine’". Marine Corps Times. Date of birth April 14, 1972
http://images.google.com/
Place of birth Honolulu, Hawaii
imgres?imgurl=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/
content/editorial/editart/ Date of death December 6, 2006
Place of death
121206mMcClung.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/ KIA in Ramadi, Iraq
story.php%3Ff%3D1-292925-2418566.php&h=267&w=200&sz=8&hl=en&start=10&tbnid=UO_doK_NeKdbNM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=85
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Megan_McClung&oldid=475017362"
Categories:
• 1972 births
• 2006 deaths
• American military personnel killed in the Iraq War
• Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
• United States Marine Corps officers
• United States Naval Academy alumni
• Women in the Iraq War
• Women in the United States Marine Corps
• Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal
• Recipients of the Purple Heart medal
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