Salvatore Giunta, premier récipiendaire vivant de la Medal of Honor depuis la guerre du Vietnam

Ayant servi en Irak et en Afghanistan, Salvatore Giunta va devenir le premier soldat américain décoré de son vivant de la Medal of Honor (plus haute distinction militaire américaine) depuis la guerre du Vietnam, pour son attitude lors d'une embuscade tendue par des Talibans en octobre 2007.

Salvatore Giunta

Voici la description donnée par la Maison Blanche :

Then-Specialist 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, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d 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, Specialist 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.

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