Medal of Honor: Salvatore A. Giunta, Afghanistan war, October 25, 2007

Name: Salvatore A. Giunta
Rank: Staff Sergeant (then Specialist)
War: War in Afghanistan
Date of Action: October 25, 2007
Unit: Company B, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
Born: January 21, 1985 – Clinton, Iowa
Entered Service From: Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Summary of Action

On a moonlit night in the treacherous Korengal Valley, Afghanistan — one of the most violent regions of the war — Specialist Salvatore Giunta and his squad were ambushed by a well-coordinated enemy force. Machine guns and RPGs tore through the air, cutting down the soldiers’ line. When Giunta saw his squad leader fall, he sprinted through a storm of bullets to reach him, dragging him to safety and administering aid while rounds slammed into his body armor. 

Despite the chaos, Giunta kept moving. He threw grenades to cover his advance and fought his way forward to reach more wounded men. Then he saw a sight that froze his blood — two insurgents were dragging one of his fellow soldiers away into the darkness. Without hesitation, Giunta charged again, engaging the enemy alone. He killed one insurgent, wounded the other, and pulled his wounded comrade back into friendly lines — saving his life and denying the enemy a captured American.

For his bravery under fire and his refusal to leave a brother behind, Giunta became the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.

Medal of Honor Citation

GIUNTA, SALVATORE A.
Rank and organization: Specialist (then Staff Sergeant), U.S. Army, Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment. Place and date: Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, 25 October 2007. Entered service at: Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Born: 21 January 1985, Clinton, Iowa.

Citation: Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, on October 25, 2007. While conducting a patrol as team leader, Specialist Giunta and his team were navigating through harsh terrain when they were ambushed by a well-armed and well-coordinated insurgent force. While under heavy enemy fire, he sprinted toward cover, engaged the enemy, and upon seeing his squad leader fall, raced through withering fire to pull him to safety and administer aid. Hit himself by enemy fire, Giunta pressed on, throwing grenades to conceal his movement and continuing to advance toward other wounded comrades. When he saw two insurgents dragging away a wounded American, he charged forward alone, killing one, wounding the other, and rescuing his comrade from capture. Specialist Giunta’s unwavering courage, selflessness, and decisive leadership while under extreme enemy fire enabled his platoon to repel the ambush and recover their wounded. His actions reflect great credit upon himself, the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, and the United States Army.