"It is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendor. Live bravely and present a brave front to adversity." Horace
As he stood with his back to President Obama, Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta faced away with the cameras in his face and his wife in attendance to accept the Medal of Honor from his Commander in Chief. Giunta is the first living service member to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan to be given the nation's highest honor.
As I looked at his face he did not have a big smile as I would have expected, but a stoic one. Even after the President placed the medal around his neck, his expression did not change. Why? In an interview on 60 Minutes, he was asked about his feelings on receiving the award? He simply said that he did not do anything his fellow soldiers would not have done. He did what he was trained to do, “No thought, just action.”
What did he do? The paratrooper and rifle team leader saved at least two comrades during combat on Oct. 25, 2007, in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan. An insurgent ambush separated his team and he went into the open to pull one comrade to safety and then fought to free a dying friend who was being dragged away by Taliban fighters.
In another interview, he talked about not being an extraordinary soldier, but mediocre, and that there are a lot of soldiers fighting and engaged in the protection of the country that are better than he was, and who are more deserving of the award.” That is exactly why he is deserving of the award! True heroes don’t seek acclaim and recognition, they act. It’s who they are, compassionate and self-sacrificing.
When he carried his friend’s body out of enemy territory he did not do so thinking that he would receive an award, “No Thought, Just Action.”
As he stood with his back to President Obama, Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta faced away with the cameras in his face and his wife in attendance to accept the Medal of Honor from his Commander in Chief. Giunta is the first living service member to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan to be given the nation's highest honor.
As I looked at his face he did not have a big smile as I would have expected, but a stoic one. Even after the President placed the medal around his neck, his expression did not change. Why? In an interview on 60 Minutes, he was asked about his feelings on receiving the award? He simply said that he did not do anything his fellow soldiers would not have done. He did what he was trained to do, “No thought, just action.”
What did he do? The paratrooper and rifle team leader saved at least two comrades during combat on Oct. 25, 2007, in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan. An insurgent ambush separated his team and he went into the open to pull one comrade to safety and then fought to free a dying friend who was being dragged away by Taliban fighters.
In another interview, he talked about not being an extraordinary soldier, but mediocre, and that there are a lot of soldiers fighting and engaged in the protection of the country that are better than he was, and who are more deserving of the award.” That is exactly why he is deserving of the award! True heroes don’t seek acclaim and recognition, they act. It’s who they are, compassionate and self-sacrificing.
When he carried his friend’s body out of enemy territory he did not do so thinking that he would receive an award, “No Thought, Just Action.”
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