War hero's tour: A humble soldier adjusts to fame

AP via AJC ^ | 3:34 p.m. Saturday, January 1, 2011 | SHARON COHEN

[Pan_Yan]

CHICAGO — It was years in the making, so Staff Sgt. Sal Giunta had time to talk with his wife about the "what if" question. He'd been recommended for the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration. If chosen, his name would be in headlines. His face in the spotlight. He'd be a celebrity.

And again and again, he'd have to tell strangers the harrowing story of a deadly ambush in Afghanistan.

"He was worried," says Giunta's wife, Jenny. "He didn't know how he was going able to talk to people about it. He couldn't even talk to me. He didn't even talk to his parents about it. How was he going to talk to the world about it? How was he going to be OK with telling his story?"

...

Giunta casts himself as an ambassador for everyone in uniform. Modestly, of course: "I'm representing so many people that I know for a fact are faster than me, smarter than me, stronger than me, braver than I am," he says.

...

"I've never seen anyone else asked what was the worst day in your life and let's break it down piece by piece and please go into detail," he says. "For some reason they continually ask me every single day and multiple times a day. Of course, it's difficult. I lost two very good friends that day. They mean absolutely everything (to me) and people brush by their names." ...

So in every appearance, he pivots from the Sal Giunta story to the bigger picture.

Americans "can live their lives unhampered by these wars because there are people . who will raise their right hand and say, 'I will go to war for my country,'" he says. "They're so fortunate and they don't even know it."

[Pan_Yan]

Very good article, worth taking a few minutes to read.

In this Dec. 12, 2010 photo, Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, first living Medal of Honor recipient for service in Iraq or Afghanistan and the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War, salute during the National Anthem before an NFL football game between New England Patriots and Chicago Bears in Chicago. The award has thrust Giunta into the spotlight. But through it all, the 25-year-old-combat veteran has remained a modest man in a 'look at me' world. He insists he's an average soldier, but the gold five-point star around his neck says otherwise. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

[Soothesayer]

This guy is the exact polar opposite of his highest commander.

[DWar]

God bless you, Giunta and thank you.

[eaglesiniowa]

A true representative of the best and brightest of the military. A humble and exemplary human being. Thank you SSG Giunta for representing our service people.

[RobbyS]

Well done.

[cubreporter]

Isn’t he though? And...standing with GloomDoomberg last night in Times Square the young soldier looked strong, confident, humble and happy to be representing his peers and his country. What a contrast. The young soldier and his wife looked absolutely stately and proud. God bless them.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Pan_Yan.

[maine-iac7]

Tomorrow night - mark your calendar:

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL 8-10

the award winning movie “RESTREPO” - the story of the handful of men in Battle Co., 173rd AIRBORNE, 2nd 503rd = “The Rock” (also now on short list for an Oscar)

This is the story of Giunta’s Platoon. They - on the first deployment - served 15 months in the Korengal Valley - aka “The Valley of Death” - where they were took 20% of all the fighting n the country - the other 70,000 troops took the other 4/5ths.

SSGT Giunta actions in one of those firefights - “Rock Avalanche” - was one of the fiercest and one of the costliest.

The movie, written, produced and directed by embeds Sebastian Junger (”The Perfect Storm”) and Tim Hetherington, (award winning photojournalist from England,) was filmed in several different one month trips by each to the Korengal and the tiny OP far atop a mountain, picked axed out by the handful of soldiers who worked all night to build defenses and fight all day. the Taliban were not happy with their presence, so deep into their territory.

Totally isolated, a 2 hour hump straight up a mountainside, often under fire, they had no power, no running water, no heat in brutal high Hindu Kush Mountains.

“RESTREPO”, named for one of their fallen, is their story. The film has no politics, no ‘agenda’, no ‘brass,’ and the ‘stars’ are the Sky Soldiers themselves. the scenery - the wild mountains and deep valleys of the Korenal. You are essentially, boots on the ground with this tiny band of heroes as the cameras roll in real time, capturing whatever goes down - no retakes.

THIS is “WAR” as is happens for the soldiers.

the movie took top prize - Grand Jury Award - at Sundance, showed in selective theaters around the country this summer, taking more awards and is now up for an Oscar.

National geo bought the theatrical and broadcast rights and first aired it in Nov. It pulled such a blockbuster audience that they are showing it again tomorrow night - this time with extras: out takes, more on SSGT Giunta and “Where are they now?”

To get an idea of how isolated they were, here's a short clip -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6-3I9JHllc&feature=player_embedded

for a clip on the movie, the website

http://restrepothemovie.com/video/

Do yourself a favor - and honor our troops - watch it.

[Pan_Yan]

Thanks for the heads up. I’ll look for it.

[skeeter]

Its good that achievements like this fellow’s can still command respect and admiration in our increasingly crude & superficial culture.

[Graybeard58]

“They said we were soft, that we would not fight, that we could not win. We are not a warlike nation. We do not go to war for gain or for territory; we go to war for principles, and we produce young men like these. I think I told every one of them that I would rather have that medal, the Congressional Medal of Honor, than to be President of the United States.”

Harry Truman.

http://www.answers.com/topic/quote-4?author=Truman,%20Harry%20S.&s2=Harry%20S.%20Truman

[dsc]

“the movie took top prize - Grand Jury Award - at Sundance”

How could it win at Sundance without a leftist agenda?

[maine-iac7]

How could it win at Sundance without a leftist agenda?

Watch the movie before you opine - I happen to be VERY close to this movie and the soldiers. I knew what was happening long before it was written about or made into the movie.

and BTW, Sundance has had some changes in it's management.

the whole reason for not letting Hollywood or anyone else have their hands in the making of it was to avoid a political agenda either way.

This s strictly WAR as it is for the soldier in the field. there is no 'politics' in a firefight. There is only taking care of your brother on your right and on your left - while they are watching YOUr back.

They are soldiers, not politicians. And the movie speaks for them - because it IS them.

[chasio649]

I watched that show...it made me angry...i agree that there was no agenda...it’s just frustrating to watch cause i feel for those guys.

[maine-iac7]

here’s a short out take that will be shown tomorrow night on Nat Geo - this will give you an idea of just how isolated this little band of Sky Soldiers were - they were, as Sebastian remarked: “Essentially, on Mars.”

The now famous “Cunningham Climb”

this soldier always packed 3-4 times as much up the mountain as others - It was 2 hour climb, straight up and often under fire -
the first time he rests, you can see the valley, WAY below - and he’s still got a long ways to go,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6-3I9JHllc&feature=player_embedded

In this climb, notice the muslim call to prayer in the background - imagine listening the THAT 5 times a day - starting at 4 in the morning.
they were totally isolated up there - except for Taliban. They didn’t even have chairs to sit on. (Hence the chair being a big deal) - Imagine going 15 months with no chair to sit on...the little things.)

[bannie]

I wish I could buy him a beer and not ask him one question.

[Grizzled Bear]

He sounds a lot like Sgt York.

[Valin]

Thanks for these vids.

[ops33]

Me too.

[Pan_Yan]

I wish I could buy him a beer and not ask him one question.

Amen.