First living service member in Iraq or Afghan war to be awarded Medal of Honor
September 10th, 2010 - 9:37 pm ICT by BNO NewsWASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) – President Barack Obama on Thursday spoke with Staff Sergeant Salvatore A. Giunta to inform him that he will be awarded the Medal of Honor for acts of gallantry, the White House said Friday.
Then-Specialist Giunta distinguished himself by acts of gallantry at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifle team leader with Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment during combat operations against an armed enemy in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan on October 25, 2007.
When an insurgent force ambush split Specialist 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, Specialist Giunta noticed two insurgents carrying away a fellow soldier.
Giunta 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.
Staff Sergeant Giunta will be the first living service member to be awarded the Medal of Honor for service in Iraq or Afghanistan.
- President Barack Obama To Award Medal Of Honor To Living Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta - Sep 12, 2010
- President Barack Obama Awards Medal Of Honor To Salvatore Giunta - Nov 17, 2010
- Medal Of Honor Recipient Salvatore Giunta Recognized In Super Bowl - Feb 07, 2011
- US President Barack Obama to bestow Medal of Honor on Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta - Sep 12, 2010
- Massachusetts soldier to get Medal of Honor posthumously - Jul 25, 2009
- Young Lieutenant wins Ashok Chakra posthumously - Jan 26, 2012
- Intrepid Gurkha gets top bravery medal from Queen - Jun 02, 2011
- Tears as Navdeep Singh gets posthumous Ashok Chakra (Lead) - Jan 26, 2012
- Three Shaurya Chakras among I-Day gallantry awards - Aug 15, 2011
- Lt. Navdeep Singh wins Ashok Chakra posthumously - Jan 26, 2012
- British Army sniper shot dead five Taliban militants in 28 seconds - May 06, 2010
- MoD bans women soldiers from fighting on frontline - Nov 30, 2010
- Gurkha gets Britain's second highest bravery medal for fighting Taliban in Afghanistan - Mar 25, 2011
- 755 police men awarded for gallantry, 18 posthumously - Jan 25, 2011
- Five army men named for Kirti Chakra, 21 to get Shaurya Chakra - Jan 25, 2011
Tags: afghan war, barack obama, bno, combat operations, company b, enemy fire, enemy hands, engaging the enemy, fellow soldier, gallantry, giunta, infantry regiment, korengal valley afghanistan, medical aid, paratrooper, platoon, rifle team, service member, staff sergeant, wounded comrade