White House to award Medal of Honor to first OIF/OEF living recipient

Ο πρόεδρος των ΗΠΑ Ομπάμα θα απονείμει σε ειδική τελετή στον Λευκό Οίκο το Παράσημο της Τιμής στο πρώτο εν ζωή στέλεχος που το λαμβάνει. Ο Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta
έσωσε έναν τραυματισμένο συνάδελφο του στο Αφγανιστάν από τα χέρια των Ταλιμπάν αν και αυτός αργότερα εξέπνευσε. Παράλληλα τιμάται γιατί στην προσπάθεια του αυτή βοήθησε την διμοιρία του που επέστρεφε από περιπολία να αποκρούσει την επίθεση των ανταρτών. Ας συγκρίνουμε λοιπόν για άλλη μια φορά την ελληνική πραγματικότητα με την παγκόσμια για το πως αντιμετωπίζει η ηγεσία τον στρατιωτικό.




WASHINGTON (Sept. 10, 2010) -- Thursday, President Obama spoke with Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta to inform him that he will be awarded the Medal of Honor for acts of gallantry at the risk of his life that went above and beyond the call of duty.

Giunta will be the first living servicemember to be awarded the Medal of Honor for service in Iraq or Afghanistan. The President thanked Sergeant Giunta for his service and extraordinary bravery in battle.

Further information about the date and time of the ceremony will be released at a later date.

ACTION FROM WHICH THE MEDAL OF HONOR WAS EARNED:

Then-Spc. 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, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd 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, 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 defeat an enemy ambush and recover a fellow American paratrooper from enemy hands.