The Medal of Honor isn’t just a video game series, it’s the highest honor the United States armed forces can bestow upon a soldier. Since the close of the Vietnam War, no living member of the armed forces has been the recipient of the Medal of Honor, but that is about to change. Today, November 16, Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta of the US Army’s Airborne 503rd Infantry Regiment will be receiving the Medal of Honor for his bravery on the night of October 25, 2007.
Staff Sgt. Giunta and his unit were returning from a patrol in Afghanistan when the unit came under fire from the front and side by Taliban forces. When several soldiers went down, Giunta ran into the fire to aid them, assisting one of the wounded soldiers in returning fire while being shot twice. When he noticed his friend, Sgt. Josh Brennan, was missing, Giunta ran into the weapons fire to find him. He rescued Brennan from the hands of two Taliban who were trying to drag him off, killing one and wounding the other. For his extreme bravery under fire, Staff Sgt. Giunta earned the Medal of Honor.
“It is a great thing, but it is a great thing that has come at a personal loss to myself and so many other families.” Giunta admitted to being a little confused and angry when told about his Medal of Honor, saying, “I felt lost. I felt kind of angry … just because, you know, this is so big. This is, it came at such a price. It came at the price of a good buddy of mine, not just (Sargent Josh) Brennan. But (unit medic Hugo) Mendoza. Mendoza died that night as well. These two men on that day made the biggest sacrifice anyone can ever make. And it’s not for a paycheck.”
Tags: Medal of Honor, Afghanistan, first living medal of honor winner since 1976, living soldier to get medal of honor, Salvatore Giunta, Airborne 503rd Infantry Regiment, United States Army, Staff Sargent Salvatore Giunta, man wins medal of honor, awards, medals, stories of survival, bravery