Lingle presents Hawaii Medal of Honor to slain soldier’s son
Advertiser Staff
The 7-year-old son of a Damien Memorial High School graduate who was killed in Afghanistan last year was presented the Hawaii Medal of Honor by Gov. Linda Lingle this afternoon.
Army 1st Lt. Jonathan P. Brostrom died July 13, 2008, in a firefight in Wanat, Afghanistan. Brostrom, 24, was pinned down by machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades in the remote village in eastern Afghanistan.
The 2002 Damien graduate and University of Hawaiçi ROTC graduate tried to help reinforce a nearby observation post that was being hit especially hard. Brostrom was killed while attempting to take medical supplies and ammunition to the post.
Brostrom was presented the Silver Star, the third-highest military award for valor, and in March the state honored him with the Hawaii Medal of Honor.
But Brostrom’s son, Jase, was not able to attend the ceremony because he lives in Utah with his mother. Lingle and the Legislature agreed to present Jase with a special Medal of Honor today.
Surrounded by his family, Jase accepted the award and thanked Lingle for the honor.
“Thanks for having us,” he said to her.