Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta, U.S. Army, a native son of Iowa, was awarded the Medal of Honor 6 Nov. for his courageous actions during 2007 combat operations against the enemy in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. Staff Sergeant Giunta's wife, Jennifer, and his parents, Steven and Rosemary Giunta were present when the young soldier received the nation;'s highest award for valor in a White House ceremony.
Giunta 25, a veteran of two combat tours in Afghanistan totaling 27 months, enlisted in the Army in 2003 and attended basic and advanced training at Fort Benning, Georgia.
He is currently assigned to 2-503rd Infantry Battalion, Rear Detachment, Camp Ederle, Italy.
He is the first living person to receive the Medal of Honor since the nation’s highest award for valor was earned by U.S. Navy SEAL, Mike Thornton, for his heroic action 31 Oct., 1972 in North Vietnam.
The White House has released the following account of Giunta’s action, but it is not necessarily the official citation which will be read for the first time at the presentation ceremony.
Then-Specialist 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, 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. 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 to defeat an enemy ambush and recover a fellow American paratrooper from enemy hands.
For further information regarding the SSgt Giunta check here.
The USS Jason Dunham, the Navy's newest guided missile destroyer, arrived at Port Everglades, Florida, this morning in advance of its upcoming commissioning ceremony.
The Dunham will be commissioned Nov. 13, the centerpiece of 10 days of events celebrating the Navy and its sailors.
The new vessel was named after a Marine and posthumous Medal of Honor Recipient who sacrificed his life during combat in Iraq so his comrades could live.
The 510-foot-long vessel and its 380-member crew will be formally inducted into the Navy during an hour-and-a-half-long ceremony featuring top military brass, state politicians and possibly the governor. The crowd of 5,000 is expected.
Dunham, a corporal from upstate New York, threw his helmet and his body on top of a live grenade during a firefight in Karabilah in April 2004. His action saved the lives of two fellow Marines. Dunham died eight days later at age 22. A piece of his helmet is enshrined in the mast of the warship.
Dunham was the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor in the Iraq war and the first Marine to be so honored since the Vietnam War.
For additional information regarding Dunham click here.
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