ɪn sɛptˈɛmbɚ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪt hɪz fˈæmɪli wʌz nˈoʊɾᵻfˌaɪd ðæt hiː wʌz ɐwˈɔːɹdᵻd ðə nˈeɪvi kɹˈɔs, ðə sˈɛkəndhˈaɪɪst ɐwˈɔːɹd ɐ juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts mɚɹˈiːn kæn ɹᵻsˈiːv.
In September 2008 his family was notified that he was awarded the Navy Cross, the second-highest award a United States Marine can receive.