Staff Sargent Salvatore A. Giunta became the eighth, and first live, recipient of the Medal of Honor for the campaigns of the Global War on Terror in a ceremony on 16 November 2010. This is the first time since Vietnam that the MoH has been awarded in person.On October 25, 2007 then Specialist Giunta's patrol was ambushed near the village of Landigal in the Koringal Valley, Afghanistan. Lobbing grenades and firing their weapons, the soldiers of his unit fought back against the ambush.
SPC Giunta saw that his squad leader was down, and fearing for that Soldier's life dragged him back out of the line of fire to receive medical aid. Seeing that the squad leader was being cared for, he then ran forward to join with a buddy who had been on point and saw his wounded squadmate being dragged off by two enemy insurgents. Without hesitation he charged, firing the rest of his rounds, killing one and wounding the other. He then provided first aid to the fallen man until the rest of his squad could catch up.
From the citation: "
He downplays the significance of that action, remarking that the soldier that he rescued (who later died of his injuries) was a better Soldier than he is himself. His hope is that all America will remember those who are now serving. "This is for all of us," he said. "This is for everyone who sacrifices for their country, who sacrifices for America."
Well done SSGT. We at the Refuge will remember.
2 comments:
I saw SSGT Giunta on the news, speaking about his Medal. He was humble, and said he'd give it up to have his comrades back. Spoken like a true hero.
From all accounts I have read he is a very humble fellow, and like most heroes doesn't think what he did was really all that special.
Thanks for dropping by morningglory2!
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