05/25/2026
“I believe that defending our country is a duty that not only belongs to every man, but to every woman as well.”
Today we honor Major Megan McClung, U.S. Marine Corps.
On December 6th, 2006, Major McClung served as a public affairs officer for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters, supporting military operation transparency and media coverage of the war, and she was escorting Newsweek journalists when her Humvee was targeted with an improvised explosive device, killing all its occupants.
In her application to attend the Naval Academy, Major McClung wrote, “[…] I come from a long line of military officers, my father and grandfather were naval officers, and I believe that defending our country is a duty that not only belongs to every man, but to every woman as well.”
Major McClung was the first woman Marine Officer killed in the Iraq War and the first woman U.S. Naval Academy graduate killed in action in the Academy’s history.
We honor Major Megan McClung’s service and sacrifice.
Read more about Major McClung here: https://foundationforwomenwarriors.org/megan-mcclung-major-u-s-marine-corps/
