Army SSgt. Salvatore A. Giunta on Tuesday received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration, from President Obama during a White House ceremony. Giunta is the first living MOH recipient since the Vietnam War. Obama called Giunta “a soldier as humble as he is heroic,” in recognizing him for his gallantry and intrepidity after his patrol was ambushed in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley on Oct. 25, 2007. Giunta, a native of Hiawatha, Iowa, was a specialist and just 22 years old at the time. “Staff Sergeant Giunta, repeatedly and without hesitation, you charged forward through extreme enemy fire,” stated Obama. He continued, “Your actions disrupted a devastating ambush before it could claim more lives. Your courage prevented the capture of an American soldier and brought that soldier back to his family.” The President added: “[W]hen you meet Sal and you meet his family, you are just absolutely convinced that this is what America is all about. And it just makes you proud.” (Obama remarks) (White House blog entry with video of the ceremony) (See also our previous coverage: Airborne Soldier to be Awarded MOH) (See also AFPS report by Karen Parrish)
A KC-46 touched down at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., on July 1 after a record 45-hour nonstop flight around the world. The mission, called Project Magellan, saw the two crews aboard test their limits as they refueled Air Force jets around the planet.