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| First Medal of Honor Awarded in Almost Four Decades |
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 Staff
Sergeant Salvatore Giunta,
U.S. Army, an
Iowa native, was awarded the Medal of Honor 6 Nov., 2010, for
his courageous actions during 2007 combat operations
against the enemy in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan.
Staff Sergeant Giunta's wife, Jennifer, and his parents,
Steven and Rosemary Giunta were present when the young soldier
received the nation's highest award for valor in a White House
ceremony.
Giunta 25, a veteran of two combat
tours in Afghanistan totaling 27 months, enlisted in the
Army in 2003 and attended basic and advanced training at
Fort Benning, Georgia.
He is currently assigned to 2-503rd Infantry Battalion,
Rear Detachment, Camp Ederle, Italy.
He is the first living person to
receive the Medal of Honor since the nation’s highest
award for valor was earned by U.S. Navy SEAL, Mike
Thornton, for his heroic action 31 Oct., 1972 in
North Vietnam.
hornton saved the life of his wounded team leader and
fellow
SEAL Tommy Norris
who had been recommended for the Medal six months
before, and received it in 1976.
It was the only time since the 1871 Korean Incursion that a Medal of Honor was awarded for saving the life of a fellow Medal Recipient.
 MOH Statistics
The correct title is simply "MEDAL OF HONOR" and those awarded it are "RECIPIENTS" not "winners". It is the only U.S. valor award worn from a ribbon hung around the neck.
The only father-son Recipients are 1Lt. Arthur MacArthur (Civil War) and his son,
Gen. Douglas MacArthur (WWII); and LtCol. Theodore Roosevelt (Spanish-American War) and his son Gen.
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (WWII).
 Medal of Honor Records
The youngest person ever to earn the Medal of Honor was probably Union drummer boy William "Willie" Johnston, just before turning 12. His was the second Medal ever awarded.
Private Jack Lucas remains the youngest since Johnston for his action on Iwo Jima just 5 days after his 17th birthday. He'd already been in the Marine Corps for three years.
The oldest Recipient was probably 62-year-old Gen. Douglas MacArthur, 1942.
At right is Marine Sgt.Maj. Dan Daly (cited for actions in China and Haiti) one of seven to have earned two Medals of Honor for separate actions during different wars or periods. Another seven "Double Recipients" (like Capt. Tom Custer-Civil War) earned two Medals of Honor for separate actions during the same war or period.
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Sergeant First Class Jared C. Monti, USA, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, on June 21, 2006.
http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/
monti/index.html |
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Specialist Ross A. McGinnis, USA, 4 December, 2006.
http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/
McGinnis/ |
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Master at Arms 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor, USN SEAL, Ramadi, Iraq, 29 September, 2006.
http://www.navy.mil/moh/Monsoor/ |
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Lt. Michael Murphy, USN SEAL, Kunar Province, Afghanistan, 28 June, 2005. -- Iraq
http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/ |
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Corporal Jason Dunham, USMC, near Syrian border, 14 April, 2004.
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SFC Paul R. Smith, USA; Baghdad, Araq, 4 April, 2003.
http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/
smith/ |
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