173rd Trooper to recieve Medal of Honor.

mlurp · #1 (**permalink**) 09-12-2010, 04:45 PM

The first live solder to receive the Medal of Honor happens to be from the 173 Airborne Bde.

Quote:

Soldier will be first living Medal of Honor recipient from current wars

By Leo Shane III and Kent Harris
Stars and Stripes
Published: September 10, 2010

WASHINGTON — Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, a soldier who risked his life to stop Taliban fighters from kidnapping a fallen comrade, will be the first living U.S. servicemember from either Iraq or Afghanistan to receive the Medal of Honor, White House officials announced Friday.

President Barack Obama spoke with Giunta on Thursday to inform him of the award and thank him for “his service and extraordinary bravery in battle.”

In an interview with Stars and Stripes on Friday, Giunta said he was humbled by the honor and will use his status to push for wider recognition of all troops’ sacrifices.

Advertisement“I wasn’t the only one there that night,” he said. “They were all doing their jobs. As we’re talking right now, there are people deployed, fighting for their nation.”

He also added that he does not expect to be the only living Medal of Honor recipient from the current wars for long.

“I think there will be more now very soon,” he said. “There’s got to be.”

Giunta, whose story was featured in the recently published Sebastian Junger book “War,” joined the Army after hearing a radio commercial while working at a Subway sandwich shop in his hometown, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

He has served two tours in Afghanistan, and was serving as a rifle team leader with a company from the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team during combat operations in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley.

...........................................Continu ed................................................ ...

Soldier will be first living Medal of Honor recipient from current wars - News - Stripes

Comments at the end of this article.

saltwn · #2 (**permalink**) 09-12-2010, 04:47 PM

Thanks for the post, lurpy. We too often neglect to recognize the great sacrifice these people make in keeping us safe.

mlurp · #3 (**permalink**) 09-12-2010, 04:51 PM

Yes to many have other worries which is understandable. But we do need to stand up for our troops and what they give doing a job most wouldn't care to do...

Yet I pray it would end... The costs are to high for all involved.

mlurp · #4 (**permalink**) 09-12-2010, 05:41 PM

Missed this on the first look at the same sight. Other news at the site.

Quote:

Fallen soldier to become third Medal of Honor recipient in Afghan war

By Leo Shane III
Stars and Stripes
Published: September 9, 2010

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will posthumously honor Army Staff Sgt. Robert Miller with the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony next month, making him the third servicemember to receive the award for actions in Afghanistan.

Miller, a weapons sergeant assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group Airborne, was killed by small-arms fire on Jan. 25, 2008. White House officials said Miller sacrificed his life to protect the lives of his teammates and 15 Afghan soldiers.

Army officials said Miller’s unit was supporting an Afghan Border Police security patrol in the Chenar Khar Valley in Kunar Province when they were ambushed by Taliban fighters hiding in nearby buildings. The unit called for close-air support to bomb an insurgent position, but were attacked again when they moved in to survey the damage.

Miller’s team captain was seriously wounded. Fellow soldiers said as he was moved to safety, Miller remained at the front of the patrol and continued to lay down suppressive fire on multiple insurgent positions, ultimately saving his commander’s life, officials said.

Even after being wounded by enemy machine gun fire, Miller, 24, continued to fire his M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and throw grenades into Taliban positions. Army officials said his courage enabled his teammates and the Afghan security forces to gain cover and return fire.

At his memorial service two days later, Lt. Col. Samuel Ashley, then commander of Special Operations Task Force 33, said Miller was the type of soldier who never backed down from a challenge.

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Fallen soldier to become third Medal of Honor recipient in Afghan war - News - Stripes

762nato · #5 (**permalink**) 09-12-2010, 07:12 PM

173rd crack outfit

mlurp · #6 (**permalink**) 09-12-2010, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 762nato

173rd crack outfit

And America's first Rapid Development Force, not the 82nd Airborne.

It started in the Nam.. Thats why they are stationed outside of the USA.

And Aug 31st they lost 4 to an IED in Afghan.

iCasualties | OEF | Afghanistan | Fatalities Details

alan · #7 (**permalink**) 09-12-2010, 07:18 PM

It's nice to see a living person receive such an honor.
At the risk of making this political, why didn't Mr Bush give this honor to anybody that was living? Surely there were some that deserved it during his time as CIC.

mlurp · #8 (**permalink**) 09-12-2010, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat

It's nice to see a living person receive such an honor.
At the risk of making this political, why didn't Mr Bush give this honor to anybody that was living? Surely there were some that deserved it during his time as CIC.

I can't answer that question. As Bush diminished the Afghan war by drawing down troops from there.

And that was when the main forces were the 173rd ABN. BDE. in Afghan left to fight as we did in the Nam.

Under manned and over extended...

The Brits were the other's we had there in force. To me each is a Hero...

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