The first living Medal of Honor recipient Honor in a generation says he’s just another grunt trying to complete the mission.
“In this job, I’m mediocre. I’m average,” Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta told reporters at the Pentagon on Wednesday by video link from his base in Vicenza, Italy, where his 173 Airborne Brigade Combat Team is based.
“This was a situation we were put into,” Giunta said. “By no means did I do anything that everyone else wouldn’t have done.”
On Oct. 25, 2007, Giunta was a team leader wrapping up a day’s mission in the rugged Korengal Valley in Afghanistan’s Kunar province when his platoon came under fire. A round slammed into his bulletproof chest plate, but he quickly regained his footing and ran into the gunfire and helped pull three wounded soldiers to safety.
He helped provide cover and care for Sgt. Josh Brennan, who was struck by six rounds and was later medevaced out.
“I didn’t run up to do anything heroic or to save Brennan,” Giunta said. “In my mind Brennan wasn’t in trouble. I was just going up and I was going to find Brennan and we were going to shoot together. It’s better to be shooting with a buddy than to be shooting alone.”
By: Brant
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