1)Private, First Class, Russ McGuiness was a skinny 19-year-old from a small town, who liked cars, poker and loud music. He grew up playing little league and going to church. His friends describe him as a 2)prankster; his father, as just a regular boy. But Russ McGuiness did something extraordinary. He was in the gunner’s 3)hatch of a Humvee 4)on patrol in Bagdad, when an 5)insurgent threw a 6)grenade down the hatch into the vehicle.
　　Soldier A: All of a sudden 7)Specialist McGuiness goes, “Hey, there’s a grenade.” And at the same time you hear the clinking on the roof.
　　Soldier B: I could hear him like he was trying to 8)swat the grenade away.
　　But the grenade was 9)lodged inside the Humvee behind the radio system and four soldiers were below McGuiness with no time to get out.
　　Soldier B: He had plenty of time to jump out of the truck, you know. He saw it. He could have leaped out.
　　Even though McGuiness was trained to jump out in case of danger, he did not.
　　Soldier A: He jumps back down and pushes himself on top of the radio, as if it was like a seat, you know, just sits down on it.
　　McGuiness absorbed the 10)explosion and was killed instantly, but he saved the four other soldiers.
　　Soldier B: He’s a hero, for him to take the 11)brunt of the 12)blast.
　　Soldier A: My family’s truly grateful for him, for all that he did for me, saving our lives in the truck.
　　McGuiness has already been awarded the silver star, the third highest award for 13)valor. Now his 14)Company Commander has 15)nominated him for the medal of honour, the highest award for valor. In McGuiness’ tiny hometown of Knox, Pennsylvania, many say their local hero deserves it.
　　Neighbour A: I asked his mother at the service, “How do you raise a son who can give his life for someone else?”
　　Neighbour B: I don’t think it’s something that you can teach somebody. Just…it’s just there.
　　Soldier B: I can’t imagine ever jumping on a grenade, ever. Like they don’t teach you that in the army. They teach you to jump out of the vehicle, no matter what.
　　In a statement, his father says, “We, his parents, are in no hurry to have our son 16)bestowed with this medal. This is not why he gave his life. The lives of four men, who were his army brothers, 17)outweighed the value of his one life.”
　　Soldier A: There’s not a day that goes by I don’t think about him. I love you, man, and I’m proud of you.
　　Soldier B: We’ll see you on the other side, I guess.
　　McGuiness’ father says the choice was simple; not easy, but simple. The right choice, he says, sometimes requires honour.
　　


　　
　　一等列兵罗斯·麦吉尼斯是一个来自小县城的19岁瘦弱男孩。他喜欢汽车、扑克和吵闹的音乐。在成长过程中，他参加了一些球类社团，也会去教堂做礼拜。朋友们说他是个捣蛋鬼；父亲则认为他只是一个普通的孩子。然而，罗斯·麦吉尼斯做出了不平凡的事情。他当时在巴格达，坐在一辆“悍马”军车的射击舱内执行巡逻任务，此时一名暴动者把一枚手榴弹从舱口扔进了汽车里。
　　士兵甲：突然间，特种兵麦吉尼斯喊了起来，“嘿，这里有一枚手榴弹！”与此同时就听到金属撞击车顶盖的叮当声。
　　士兵乙：我可以听见他的声音，他试图把手榴弹掷出去的声音。
　　但，当时手榴弹落在“悍马”军车的内部，就在无线电系统的后面。四个士兵处于麦吉尼斯下方，根本没有时间逃生。
　　士兵乙：他有足够的时间跳出卡车。他看到了手榴弹；他本可以跳出来的。
　　尽管麦吉尼斯接受过如何在危险中逃生的训练，但他并没有那样做。
　　士兵甲：他向后跳去，扑到无线电上面，就像那是一个座位似的，一下子坐到它上面。
　　麦吉尼斯承受了爆炸的冲击力，当场牺牲；但是他拯救了四名士兵的生命。
　　士兵乙：他是一位英雄，因为他果断地承担了爆炸的后果。
　　士兵甲：我们家人都真心感激他，感激他为我所做的一切，感激他为拯救一车人的生命做出的壮举。
　　麦吉尼斯已被授予“银星”勋章，这是对于勇士的第三大奖励。现在他所在连队的连长提名他参选英勇士兵的最高奖励—“荣誉勋章”。在麦吉尼斯的家乡—宾西法尼亚州的诺克斯，很多人都说他们当地的这位英雄实至名归。
　　邻居甲：在葬礼上，我问他母亲：“您是如何养育出这样一位儿子，可以为了他人牺牲自己？”
　　邻居乙：我并不认为这种义举是别人可以传授的。它，它是骨子里的东西。
　　士兵乙：我不能想象跳过去坐在一枚手榴弹上的情景，不可能。军队里从来不教这种事情。他们只会教我们跳车，不管发生什么情况。
　　在一次发言中，他的父亲讲到，“作为他的父母，我们并不急于让儿子获得这枚奖章。这并不是他献出生命的原因。那四名士兵—他的军中兄弟们的生命，比他个人的生命更重要。”
　　士兵甲：过去这些日子里，我无时无日不在想念他。我爱你，兄弟，我为你骄傲。
　　士兵乙：我想，我们会在天堂那儿见到你。
　　麦吉尼斯的父亲认为儿子的选择是简单的；这个选择并不容易，但（出发点）很简单。他说，有时正确的决策需要一种荣誉感。