This is what a hero looks like

[OakRidgeStars]

U.S. Army to award living soldier Medal of Honor for first time since Vietnam war. It's about time.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02712.html

[zephyp]

For those of you wondering this hero is an Italian...

Way to go SSG Guinta...glad you are able to stand there and receive your medal rather than someone else. America needs more like you...right here as a matter of fact...hope to see your pic on the wall of heroes in the big 5 sided building soon...

[SgtBill]

Congrat's Staff Sgt. I would fight next to you anytime.
Semper Fi!
Bill

[Moonduck]

"The medal should go to the guy on the right of me and the guy on the left of me,"

"I didn't run through fire to do anything heroic or brave. I did what I believe anyone would have done."

Yeah, "anyone". Bravery and humility, this is what a hero is made of.

Good on ya, SSG Giunta.

[zephyp]

Bravery and humility, this is what a hero is made of.

[clayinva]

Thanks to this brave young man and all on this forum who have served. Our country needs more like this man and far fewer of what we have in Washington now.

[SgtBill]

We don't need any of the bullshit that is now in Washington. Vote them all out.
Sgt. Bill

[GS78]

...I can't help but think that awarding this man such a well deserved medal is not completely "unpolitical" on behalf of our faithless leader.

[GS78]

Obama Snubs Nation's Heroes, Becomes the First President to Skip Ball Honoring Medal of Honor Recipients in Over 50 Years
By Julie Kent. Published on 01/21/2009 - 11:13pm
Barack Obama may have stumbled over his words briefly during his inauguration, but he made an even bigger blunder later Tuesday evening. The newly sworn-in President opted not to appear at what should have been one of the most important Balls on his agenda that evening - The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball.

The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball was begun in 1953 for President Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration. The event recognized recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. There were 48 Medal of Honor recipients in attendance, who were undoubtedly disappointed by the Commander-in-Chief's failure to show. Over the past 56 years and 14 inaugurations, no President has skipped this event - until now.

......before anyone starts crying over my post, lets remember this idiot obama has no love for the military or its heroes. At a time when most of the country feels disappointed in this president, going into an election cycle , being the first president to award a CMOH to living soldier since Vietnam , I am confident that obama views this as a feather in his own cap, as much, but probably more so, than the resepect deserved this young man.

[SgtBill]

Again the nit wit is looking for vote's. Remember what an ass he is in November and vote his people out of office.I don't think any vet. or real American citizen will believe his bullshit. Like his blunder in front of the V.F.W. when he stated that he rememberd speaking with his father about his service in WW 2 his father was less then 10 years old during WW 2. Just another one of his lie's that the media did not take him to task for.
Bill

[GS78]

. On 28 June 2005, operating in an extremely rugged enemy-controlled area, Lieutenant Murphy?s team was discovered by anti-coalition militia sympathizers, who revealed their position to Taliban fighters. As a result, between 30 and 40 enemy fighters besieged his four-member team. Demonstrating exceptional resolve, Lieutenant Murphy valiantly led his men in engaging the large enemy force. The ensuing fierce firefight resulted in numerous enemy casualties, as well as the wounding of all four members of the team. Ignoring his own wounds and demonstrating exceptional composure, Lieutenant Murphy continued to lead and encourage his men. When the primary communicator fell mortally wounded, Lieutenant Murphy repeatedly attempted to call for assistance for his beleaguered teammates. Realizing the impossibility of communicating in the extreme terrain, and in the face of almost certain death, he fought his way into open terrain to gain a better position to transmit a call. This deliberate, heroic act deprived him of cover, exposing him to direct enemy fire. Finally achieving contact with his Headquarters, Lieutenant Murphy maintained his exposed position while he provided his location and requested immediate support for his team. In his final act of bravery, he continued to engage the enemy until he was mortally wounded, gallantly giving his life for his country and for the cause of freedom. By his selfless leadership, courageous actions, and extraordinary devotion to duty, Lieutenant Murphy reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2 ... hael-p.php



I am in no way diminishing the medal of honor Staff Sgt.Guinta is going to recieve , I am merely pointing out that although his story is exceptional in courage , its really not extraordinary. Read some of the other MOH winners stories.....http://www.cmohs.org/featured-recipients.php


after reading some of these articles you soon realize that its Obama, who needs this event to happen.

[SgtBill]

My point!
Bill

[gatlingun6]

. On 28 June 2005, operating in an extremely rugged enemy-controlled area, Lieutenant Murphy?s team was discovered by anti-coalition militia sympathizers, who revealed their position to Taliban fighters. As a result, between 30 and 40 enemy fighters besieged his four-member team. Demonstrating exceptional resolve, Lieutenant Murphy valiantly led his men in engaging the large enemy force. The ensuing fierce firefight resulted in numerous enemy casualties, as well as the wounding of all four members of the team. Ignoring his own wounds and demonstrating exceptional composure, Lieutenant Murphy continued to lead and encourage his men. When the primary communicator fell mortally wounded, Lieutenant Murphy repeatedly attempted to call for assistance for his beleaguered teammates. Realizing the impossibility of communicating in the extreme terrain, and in the face of almost certain death, he fought his way into open terrain to gain a better position to transmit a call. This deliberate, heroic act deprived him of cover, exposing him to direct enemy fire. Finally achieving contact with his Headquarters, Lieutenant Murphy maintained his exposed position while he provided his location and requested immediate support for his team. In his final act of bravery, he continued to engage the enemy until he was mortally wounded, gallantly giving his life for his country and for the cause of freedom. By his selfless leadership, courageous actions, and extraordinary devotion to duty, Lieutenant Murphy reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2 ... hael-p.php



I am in no way diminishing the medal of honor Staff Sgt.Guinta is going to recieve , I am merely pointing out that although his story is exceptional in courage , its really not extraordinary. Read some of the other MOH winners stories.....http://www.cmohs.org/featured-recipients.php

Y

after reading some of these articles you soon realize that its Obama, who needs this event to happen.

You are exactly diminishing the actions of Sgt. Guinta. Your rage against our President now leads you to start comparing Medal of Honor Citations? Will you now compare all other MOH citations to the one you listed? I guess you are saying some MOH awards are more equal than others? That's exactly the kind of controversy we don't need, that btw can apply to every decoration ever awarded. Way to go, thanks for damning this young soldier with faint praise simply because you hate the President? Thanks for hinting that this recipient's actions were not worthy of the MOH. I wonder if you even know how MOH's are approved, or if you know that MOH awards are rarely free from a lot of stuff that have nothing to do with the particular action, and that standards varied from theater to theater, service to service, and war to war. The one conclusion any study of the history of awards and decorations shows is that comparing citations is IMPOSSIBLE and MEANINGLESS!

Gat6: Quote of the Day: "Americans would rather invent some far flung conspiracy theory, rather than see what's right in front of their face."

[zephyp]

@Gat6 - First of all its SSG Guinta. Second, please dont sully this thread with your flames...plenty of others.

[gunderwood]

. On 28 June 2005, operating in an extremely rugged enemy-controlled area, Lieutenant Murphy?s team was discovered by anti-coalition militia sympathizers, who revealed their position to Taliban fighters. As a result, between 30 and 40 enemy fighters besieged his four-member team. Demonstrating exceptional resolve, Lieutenant Murphy valiantly led his men in engaging the large enemy force. The ensuing fierce firefight resulted in numerous enemy casualties, as well as the wounding of all four members of the team. Ignoring his own wounds and demonstrating exceptional composure, Lieutenant Murphy continued to lead and encourage his men. When the primary communicator fell mortally wounded, Lieutenant Murphy repeatedly attempted to call for assistance for his beleaguered teammates. Realizing the impossibility of communicating in the extreme terrain, and in the face of almost certain death, he fought his way into open terrain to gain a better position to transmit a call. This deliberate, heroic act deprived him of cover, exposing him to direct enemy fire. Finally achieving contact with his Headquarters, Lieutenant Murphy maintained his exposed position while he provided his location and requested immediate support for his team. In his final act of bravery, he continued to engage the enemy until he was mortally wounded, gallantly giving his life for his country and for the cause of freedom. By his selfless leadership, courageous actions, and extraordinary devotion to duty, Lieutenant Murphy reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2 ... hael-p.php



I am in no way diminishing the medal of honor Staff Sgt.Guinta is going to recieve , I am merely pointing out that although his story is exceptional in courage , its really not extraordinary. Read some of the other MOH winners stories.....http://www.cmohs.org/featured-recipients.php


after reading some of these articles you soon realize that its Obama, who needs this event to happen.

Yes, this has been a long standing concern even when Bush was in office. Why wasn't he handing out any MoHs to living soldiers? I suspect politics has more to do with deciding who gets one rather than who deserves one. Staff Sgt. Guinta deserves it, but it is hard to understand how no other living soldier in the past 9 years hasn't earned one too.

[SgtBill]

@Gat6- You sir are diminishing STAFF Sgt.Guinta by calling him a Sgt. E-5 when in fact he was a STAFF Sgt. E-6 He had to work for this rank and earned it the same as he earned his MOH.
Bill

[smltooner]

U.S. Army to award living soldier Medal of Honor for first time since Vietnam war. It's about time.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02712.html

SSG Guinta, I salute you and all other servicemen and women.

[Palladin]

Thank you, SSG Guinta.

As for the turkey, who let it out? It ain't even Halloween yet!