1. Salvatore Giunta left the United States Army in June 2011.
29 Facts About Salvatore Giunta
1. 2.
Salvatore Giunta was born in Clinton, Iowa, on January 21,1985, to an Italian American family.
3.
Salvatore Giunta was the first in his immediate family to serve in the armed forces since his grandparents emigrated from Italy.
4.
Salvatore Giunta attended basic training and infantry school at Fort Benning, Georgia.
5.
Salvatore Giunta was deployed to Afghanistan from March 2005 until March 2006 and again from May 2007 until July 2008.
6.
Salvatore Giunta was promoted to staff sergeant in August 2009.
7.
Salvatore Giunta was last stationed at Caserma Ederle, the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team's base near Vicenza, Italy.
8.
Salvatore Giunta served in the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, and worked in a support role for members of his unit then deployed in Afghanistan.
9.
Salvatore Giunta was followed by SPC Frank Eckrode, squad leader Erick Gallardo, and then Giunta, who was then a specialist.
10.
An RPG round struck very near Salvatore Giunta, who was returning fire and directing Bravo Team from a small defilade.
11.
Salvatore Giunta was puzzled that the lip of the small depression he lay in was not protecting him from rounds cracking by his head, that they appeared to be coming from the north as well as the west.
12.
Salvatore Giunta saw Gallardo take the bullet to his head and fall.
13.
Salvatore Giunta recognized that the extremely heavy tracer fire was coming not just from his west but from the north as well, a classic L-shaped ambush that threatened to flank the squad.
14.
Salvatore Giunta recalled from basic training that to survive an ambush like this he had only one choice: advance on the enemy.
15.
Salvatore Giunta ordered Casey and Clary to pull back a few steps to prevent the Taliban from flanking them.
16.
Salvatore Giunta had been shot through the femoral artery at the beginning of the ambush and died.
17.
Salvatore Giunta, seeing that Eckrode was tended to, advanced with PFC Clary through the intense enemy gunfire, looking for Brennan.
18.
Salvatore Giunta saw three individuals and then recognized that two of them were Afghans dragging Sgt.
19.
Salvatore Giunta pursued them, firing his M4 carbine as he ran, killing one and wounding the other.
20.
Salvatore Giunta continued to assist the medic and adjust security while they waited for evacuation.
21.
Salvatore Giunta learned two days later from Kearney that the latter was going to recommend him for the Medal of Honor.
22.
Salvatore Giunta was uncomfortable about being singled out and labeled a hero.
23.
On September 10,2010, the White House announced that Salvatore Giunta would be awarded the United States' highest military decoration, the first awarded to a living recipient since the Vietnam War.
24.
Salvatore Giunta received the medal from President Barack Obama during a ceremony at the White House on November 16,2010.
25.
On July 5,2017, during a dedication ceremony for the Medal of Honor Walkway, located outside of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Headquarters building in Vicenza, Italy, Salvatore Giunta chose to give his Medal of Honor to the brigade.
26.
Salvatore Giunta chose not to re-enlist and left the army in June 2011.
27.
On December 31,2010, Salvatore Giunta was invited by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg to attend the New Year's Eve celebrations in Times Square.
28.
On February 6,2011, Salvatore Giunta was honored on the field and via international television broadcast at the beginning of the second half of Super Bowl XLV, which the Green Bay Packers eventually won over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
29.
Salvatore Giunta immediately engaged the enemy, killing one and wounding the other.