September 10, 201015 yr Air Force Times Link Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta will be the first living Medal of Honor recipient since the Vietnam War. On Thursday, President Obama spoke with Giunta, who is assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, in Vicenza, Italy, to inform him that he will be awarded the nation’s highest valor award, according to the White House. Giunta, 25, will be honored for his actions during a fierce firefight Oct. 25, 2007, in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. According to the White House announcement, when an insurgent force ambush split Giunta’s squad into two groups, he exposed himself to enemy fire to pull a comrade back to cover. Later, while engaging the enemy and attempting to link up with the rest of his squad, Giunta noticed two insurgents carrying away a fellow soldier. He immediately engaged the enemy, killing one and wounding the other, and provided medical aid to his wounded comrade while the rest of his squad caught up and provided security. His courage and leadership while under extreme enemy fire were integral to his platoon’s ability defeat an enemy ambush and recover a fellow American paratrooper from enemy hands, according to the White House. The Medal of Honor awarded to Giunta will be the eighth since the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The seventh, also for actions in Afghanistan, was announced Thursday and will be awarded posthumously to Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller. Miller, of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group of Fort Bragg, N.C., will be honored for his actions on Jan. 25, 2008. Obama will present the medal to Miller’s parents during a ceremony Oct. 6 at the White House. The first six Medals of Honor awarded for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were posthumous awards, including four for acts of heroism in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. Details of the ceremony for Giunta have not been announced.
September 10, 201015 yr Is there a reason all of these MOH awards seem to be clumped together? Is it a coincidence or is there some type of board selection that the President approves? In any case and all the respect in the world to these guys.
November 15, 201015 yr Here is a link to the video about what happened. He is getting the award today.
November 15, 201015 yr Here's the 60 Minutes story from last night...talk about humility and selflessness.
November 15, 201015 yr Apologies for my previous link...He will be receiving the award tomorrow at 2pm Eastern time.
November 15, 201015 yr "embedded video disabled, please watch on youtube" -so we can shove a bunch of f'n advertising down your throat
November 16, 201015 yr "I'm average, I'm mediocre". Wow. BAMF Edited November 16, 201015 yr by Herk Driver
November 16, 201015 yr The Korengal is Indian country, there are more than a few places on the border that are like that.
June 1, 201114 yr Any reason we hug now with no salute? Look at the surprise on the kid's face at 21:44.
June 2, 201114 yr Any reason we hug now with no salute? Look at the surprise on the kid's face at 21:44. Really couldn't help it.
Create an account or sign in to comment