[Vision2020] Medal of Honor Awarded to Staff Sgt Salvatore Giunta

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the Army Times at:

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/11/army-giunta-receives-medal-of-honor-111610/

---------------------------------------------------------

Obama awards Medal of Honor to Giunta
By John Ryan - Staff writer

For the first time in nearly four decades, a president has fastened the
Medal of Honor around the neck of a living soldier during an ongoing war.

Today at the White House, President Obama honored Staff Sgt. Salvatore
Giunta, 25, in part, for rescuing a comrade from the grips of Taliban
fighters in one of the most dangerous regions of Afghanistan in 2007.

“It is my privilege to present our nation’s highest military award to a
soldier as humble as he is heroic.” The president then went off script and
said, “I really like this guy.”

Giunta, from Hiawatha, Iowa, then a specialist in Battle Company, 2nd
Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, helped fend off a close
ambush by 15 Taliban fighters in the Korengal Valley. The Taliban fired
hundreds of bullets and rocket-propelled grenades at the soldiers moving
in a file.

“The two lead men were hit by enemy fire and knocked down instantly. When
the third was struck in the helmet and fell to the ground, Sal charged
headlong into the wall of bullets to pull him to safety behind what little
cover there was, and as he did, Sal was hit twice,” Obama said. “They were
pinned down but two wounded Americans still lay up ahead.”

After the squad advanced and formed a perimeter around one injured
soldier, the squad realized their point man, Sgt. Joshua Brennan, was
missing. “Sal sprinted ahead, at every step meeting relentless enemy fire
with his own. He crested a hill alone with no cover at dusk,” Obama said.

“There he saw a chilling sight: the silhouettes of two insurgents carrying
the other wounded American away, who happened to be one of Sal’s best
friends,” Obama said. Giunta took aim and shot down one insurgent, scared
the other away and provided first aid to Brennan for 30 minutes.

The fighting was so fierce, each soldiers’ gear was shot through or cut by
shrapnel during the ambush. The squad suffered five casualties. Brennan
and Sgt. Hugo Mendoza later died of their wounds.

Throughout his remarks, the president thanked the soldiers of Battle
Company, Giunta’s wife and parents, and Brennan’s and Mendoza’s families
for their sacrifices.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm.
Mike Mullen, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey and Army Secretary John
McHugh all attended the ceremony.

After the ceremony, Giunta, wearing jump boots, a maroon beret and his new
gold and blue medallion, walked to a podium outside the West Wing and made
a short announcement.

“I want to make it be known that this represents all services and all the
branches that have been in Afghanistan since 2001, and Iraq since 2003, he
said. “Although this is so positive, I would give this back in a second to
have my friends with me right now.”

Seven soldiers have been awarded the Medal of Honor since 2001. Giunta is
the 87th living recipient of the Medal of Honor.

---------------

President Obama presents Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta with the Medal of
Honor during a ceremony at the White House on Nov. 16.

http://tinyurl.com/SSG-Giunta-MOH

---------------

Listen and watch as SSG Giunta describes what transpired in Afghanistan's
Korengal Valley that day.

http://restrepothemovie.com/


---------------------------------------------------------

Pro patria,

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown