Salvatore Giunta

Today, President Barack Obama has awarded Army Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta the Medal of Honor. It is the first time since the Vietnam War that a living Soldier has received that award. It is the highest honor given by the military and is awarded for valor on the battlefield. The ceremony is being held at the White House.

Giunta is 25-years-old and hails from Hiawatha, Iowa. He was just 22-years-old on October 25, 2007 when his patrol was attacked by enemy combatants. He is credited with running into the line of fire to push the enemy back and to give aid to fallen comrades. He is credited with saving several paratroopers and preventing one wounded Soldier and the body of another Soldier from falling into the hands of the Taliban in a battle in what is referred to the ‘Valley of Death’ in Afghanistan, the Korengal Valley.

I find it interesting that in the press interviews in the videos below he is asked how it felt to be the only living recipient of the Medal of Honor he replied that in his job he is ‘only average’. He said he was no different that the other Soldiers and only did what any one of them would have done if they had been put in the situation he was put into that day.

He used an analogy of painting a picture. He said he was the first or last brush-stroke. He was just one brush-stroke in the picture and had all the other guys not painted their brush-strokes than his wouldn’t have mattered.

He said he hopes to convey to the world how great the ‘average Soldier’ is.

Well done, Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta!

In the first two videos below you can watch Staff Sergeant Giunta answer questions and talk about the incident in which his patrol was attacked by the Taliban.