This is fantastic news and this is how I will honor those who died on 9/11 this year–by honoring a living hero that put it all on the line in this war. Finally a living recipient of this medal for this current war.
Also, I posted an excerpt from the book ‘War’ written by Sebastian Junger below this article, who talked about the day Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta and his comrades took the fight to the enemy in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. –Matt
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First Medal of Honor for a living Afghan war vet
By MICHAEL J. CRUMB
September 11, 2010
DES MOINES, Iowa — A 25-year-old soldier from Iowa who exposed himself to enemy gunfire to try to save two fellow soldiers will become the first living service member from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to receive the Medal of Honor, the White House announced Friday.
President Barack Obama phoned Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, on Thursday at the base in Italy where he’s stationed to tell him he’d be receiving the nation’s highest military honor, Giunta’s father told The Associated Press. He will become the eighth service member to receive the Medal of Honor during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The seven previous medals were awarded posthumously.
