First living MoH recipient since Vietnam

[Big Mac 19]

http://www.army.mil/-news/2010/09/10/45000-white-house-to-award-medal-of-honor-to-first-oifoef-living-recipient/index.html?ref=home-headline-title0

WASHINGTON (Sept. 10, 2010) -- Thursday, President Obama spoke with Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta to inform him that he will be awarded the Medal of Honor for acts of gallantry at the risk of his life that went above and beyond the call of duty.

Giunta will be the first living servicemember to be awarded the Medal of Honor for service in Iraq or Afghanistan. The President thanked Sergeant Giunta for his service and extraordinary bravery in battle.

Further information about the date and time of the ceremony will be released at a later date.

ACTION FROM WHICH THE MEDAL OF HONOR WAS EARNED:

Then-Spc. Salvatore A. 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, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd 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, 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.

It's about time someone lives to tell the tale.

[SASrecon 0]

Well congratulations to him, he really deserves it!

His actions sound epic and heroic, I'd certainly never have the balls to expose myslef under fire like that.

[TRexian 0]

Props to him. :salute:

I believe these may be the War Diary (Wiki Leaks) docs on the engagement. They don't really say much, but most around here will be able to read between the lines.

http://wardiary.wikileaks.org/afg/event/2007/10/AFG20071025n1006.html

http://wardiary.wikileaks.org/afg/event/2007/10/AFG20071025n1007.html

[ck-claw 1]

Fair shout! - They're all heros as far as i'm concerned over there! :cool:

[franze 196]

A reminder:

1. Posting explicit content or a link to a site that has explicit content is not allowed here. Remember to ask if in doubt, as the penalties are harsh for violation of this rule.

2. When someone is obviously trolling, don't deign them with a response. Report to moderator and ignore them. It's that easy.

[4 IN 1 0]

You cant expect more from this soldier, respect.:)

P.S. Just noticed from the wiki page, he is acturally born at the same day as I am....lol

Edited September 11, 2010 by 4 IN 1

[pre-Vet 10]

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 prevented a disaster from taking place! Dont want to imagine how it would be being captured by those people...

Good to see he got the propper award for this. :)

[Zipper5 74]

This thread is not about slagging off the actions of other Coalition soldiers, it is about a man who carried out an incredibly heroic act and was awarded the Medal of Honor. The posts were therefore offtopic, but moreso being used as flamebait, thus they were rightly removed.

Take your politics elsewhere.

[Cotala Studios 10]

this thread is not about slagging off the actions of other coalition soldiers, it is about a man who carried out an incredibly heroic act and was awarded the medal of honor. The posts were therefore offtopic, but moreso being used as flamebait, thus they were rightly removed.

Take your politics elsewhere.

+1,000,000

[franze 196]

Next user to bring in flamebaiting nonsense gets a 90 day ban. Enough is enough - stick to the topic material, and if you haven't got anything nice to say, move on.

[Big Mac 19]

Wow if I had known that it was going to cause this much hype I wouldn't have bothered posting..

[4 IN 1 0]

Wow if I had known that it was going to cause this much hype I wouldn't have bothered posting..

I must be lucky that I dont get to read those flamebaiting nonsense because mods are doing their job:)

Anyway, thanks for posting;)

[Laqueesha 474]

What flame-baiting? Oh, must've been deleted.

[celery 8]

Does anyone else find it odd that the medal was awarded 3 years after the deed?

[HyperU2 11]

Does anyone else find it odd that the medal was awarded 3 years after the deed?

Nope, one our locals is receiving his posthumously from Vietnam this year.

[SASrecon 0]

Does anyone else find it odd that the medal was awarded 3 years after the deed?

It's often cheaper to combine a soldier's funeral with an award ceremony I guess.

[celery 8]

Nope, one our locals is receiving his posthumously from Vietnam this year.

That's exactly what I mean. Shouldn't those actions be recognized a little sooner? It's almost as if nobody thought it was noteworthy at the time when it happened.

[HyperU2 11]

That's exactly what I mean. Shouldn't those actions be recognized a little sooner? It's almost as if nobody thought it was noteworthy at the time when it happened.

It's generally something that has to be pushed for, often by those who were there. Many tales go untold. That goes for all awards, not just MOH. The Vietnam one is based partly on covert action as well, so that slowed it for decades.

[Big Mac 19]

Does anyone else find it odd that the medal was awarded 3 years after the deed?

Nope, there's a lot of investigating that goes with determining if someone gets the MoH or not and it usually 3 or 4 years. A lot of times someone does something that worthy of the MoH but they never get recommended for it and so they never get it.

[Laqueesha 474]

That's exactly what I mean. Shouldn't those actions be recognized a little sooner? It's almost as if nobody thought it was noteworthy at the time when it happened.

It usually takes several years before high-profile awards like the MoH are handed out.

[4 IN 1 0]

It is understandable that if someone is recommented for a MoH they would want to make sure the one os worth wearing it, also sometime its based of personal wish(well sort of), remember Major Winters? He himself thinks that his action of taking down those 105s during d-day business as usual and report to the investager as such while others who was there thinks he worth more then a DSC.

Edited September 13, 2010 by 4 IN 1

[Big Mac 19]

It is understandable that if someone is recommented for a MoH they would want to make sure the one os worth wearing it, also sometime its based of personal wish(well sort of), remember Major Winters? He himself thinks that his action of taking down those 105s during d-day business as usual and report as to the investager as is while others who was there thinks he worth more then a DSC.

Lt. Col. Cole was the only MoH recipient of the 101st during WW2. Winters was a hard charger, but his valor and leadership in taking out those 105s was not uncommon during the many battles of WW2 and most of the guys who lead men in that fashion were awarded silver stars, bronze stars and DSCs.

The Capt and Major who lead the Battle of Graignes should have been given the MoH but AFAIK only six men were given DSCs and none of them included the Capt. and Major who lead the battle. Battle of Graignes

[4 IN 1 0]

@Infam0us

That kid is just trolling, delete your quote as well or the mod will become "quite angry"

@Big Mac

I am only making an example using Major Winters case to point out that there are soldiers who deserved the MoH was not award for their action. At that time there is only one MoH for each division. In this case, Lt. Col. Cole take it, Major Winters himself is also high up the waiting line too, but rules are rules.

[Big Mac 19]

I smell the ban hammer..

@4 in 1

I know what you were trying to say I was just saying that even though there are many who think he rates more than DSC I'm not one of them considering valor like that was not uncommon during WW2 and usually only rated a silver star.

Edited September 13, 2010 by Big Mac

[Big Mac 19]

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