News : Vinton veterans meet America\'s latest Medal of Honor recipient

Vinton vets Roger Uthoff, Ken Silker & Larry Driscol with Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Sal Giunta.

I had the privilege of meeting our Nation's latest hero on Tuesday, November 23. I was humbled to be in the same room with Sgt. Giunta and his wife Jennifer. They are a typical Iowan family with strong moral values and a pleasure to meet.

The news media had to wait because Sgt Sal wanted to talk to his fellow veterans at Hiawatha Legion Hall. He is a life member of Hiawatha American Legion. I have been involved with Eastern Iowa Honor Flight for some time now and those veterans from WWII and Sgt. Sal make my contribution to the US Military seem minuscule. I was so humbled to be in the same room with him. He said it isn't his medal but he accepted it in memory of those who made a greater sacrifice.

Sgt. Giunta has been on television many times; he appeared with David Letterman Wednesday night. His story has been told in newspapers and blogs throughout the world.

Official Citation: “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.”

Straight from Wikipedia: “In October 2007, Giunta’s eight-man squad was moving in bright moonlight along a wooded ridgeline in the Korangal Valley[4] when at least a dozen Taliban fighters[5] mounted an ambush that was coordinated from three sides[6] at such close range that close air support could not be provided to Giunta’s unit. Sergeant Josh Brennan, who was walking point, suffered at least 6 gunshot wounds. Giunta, then a specialist, was the fourth soldier back and was shot in the chest but was saved by his ballistic vest.[7]Another bullet destroyed a weapon slung over his back.[8] Moving, firing and throwing hand grenades, Giunta advanced up the trail to assist Staff Sergeant Erick Gallardo and, later, Specialist Franklin Eckrode, whose M249 machine gun had jammed and who was badly wounded.[4] Continuing up the trail, Giunta saw two Taliban fighters, one of whom was Mohammad Tali (considered a high-value target),[9] dragging Brennan down the hillside and towards the forest. Giunta attacked the insurgents with his M4 carbine, killing Tali,[10] and ran to Brennan to provide cover and comfort until relief arrived.[7]

I ran through fire to see what was going on with him and maybe we could hide behind the same rock and shoot together … He was still conscious. He was breathing. He was asking for morphine. I said, “You’ll get out and tell your hero stories,” and he was like, “I will, I will.”[11]

Brennan did not survive surgery. According to his father, Michael Brennan, “not only did [Giunta] save [my son] Josh … He really saved half of the platoon.”[12]

On September 10, 2010, the White House announced that Giunta would receive the United States’ highest military decoration, the first awarded to a living recipient since the Vietnam War.[13][14] He is the fourth recipient from the War in Afghanistan, after Navy Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, Army Sergeant First Class Jared C. Monti, and Army Staff Sergeant Robert James Miller. Miller’s medal was announced only a day before news of Giunta’s award broke.”