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Awards
Heroic achievement while serving as machine gunner, India Company, 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Central Command, on 24 December 2004 in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. During Operation Cornhusker in the Kunar Province, Afghanistan, Lance Corporal Mckinney was a member of a convoy to extract an element of India Company that was critically low on ammunition. His convoy was ambushed by an anti-coalition militia force employing small arms, machine gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Manning his m2 .50 caliber machine gun, Lance Corporal Mckinney immediately returned accurate suppressive fire. Showing no regard for his personal safety, he calmly continued to deliver deadly fire upon the anti-coalition militia force enabling the manuever element to sweep the enemy force from their positions. Lance Corporal Mckinney’s enthusiasm, ability, personal initiative, and unswerving devotion to duty reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.