Marine’s Bravery Earns Highest Military Honor

By Marine Corps Cpl. Reece Lodder

Marine Corps Base Hawaii

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Aug. 13, 2011 – Removed from an ambushed platoon of Marines and soldiers in a remote Afghan village on Sept. 8, 2009, his reality viciously shaken by an onslaught of enemy fighters, Marine Corps Cpl. Dakota Meyer simply reacted as he knew best - tackling what he called "extraordinary circumstances" by "doing the right thing -- whatever it takes."

Nearly two years later, the White House announced yesterday that the 23-year-old Marine scout sniper from Columbia, Ky., who has since left the Marine Corps, will become the first living Marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor in 38 years. Retired Sgt. Maj. Allan Kellogg Jr. received the medal in 1973 for gallantry in Vietnam three years earlier.

Meyer is the second Marine to receive the medal for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. Cpl. Jason Dunham was awarded the medal posthumously for covering a grenade with his body to save two Marines in Iraq in 2004. President Barack Obama will present the award to Meyer at the White House on Sept. 15.

"The award honors the men who gave their lives that day, and the men who were in that fight," Meyer said. "I didn't do anything more than any other Marine would. I was put in an extraordinary circumstance, and I just did my job."

Though bleeding from shrapnel wounds in his right arm, Meyer, aided by fellow Marines and Army advisors from Embedded Training Team 2-8, braved a vicious hail of enemy machine-gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire in the village of Ganjgal to help rescue and evacuate more than 15 wounded Afghan soldiers and recover the bodies of four fallen fighters - 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, Gunnery Sgts. Aaron Kenefick and Edwin Johnson Jr., and Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class James Layton.

ETT advisor Army Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Westbrook died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Oct. 7, 2009, from wounds suffered in the firefight.

Meyer charged through the battle zone five times to recover the dead Marines and injured Afghan soldiers, risking his life even when a medical evacuation helicopter wouldn't land because of the blazing gunfire.

"There's not a day - not a second that goes by where I don't think about what happened that day," Meyer said. "I didn't just lose four Marines that day; I lost four brothers."

Author Bing West, a retired Marine infantry officer and combat veteran of Vietnam, detailed Meyer's actions in the battle in "The Wrong War," and praised Meyer for taking command of the battle as a corporal - the most junior advisor in this firefight.

West said Meyer should have been killed, but he dominated the battlefield by fearlessly exposing himself to danger and pumping rifle and machine gun rounds into the enemy fighters.

"When you leave the perimeter, you don't know what's going to happen, regardless of what war you're fighting in," Kellogg, who lives in Kailua, Hawaii, said. "Once you get to a point where you make the decision - 'I'm probably going to die, so let the party begin' - once you say in your mind you aren't getting out of there, you fight harder and harder."

Beginning his career with the same regiment from which Kellogg retired in 1990, Meyer deployed with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, to Fallujah, Iraq, in 2007, and earned a meritorious promotion to corporal in late 2008 after returning from the deployment.

Before leaving for Iraq, Meyer completed the Marine Corps' 10-week Scout Sniper Basic Course, and committed himself to preparing himself and his snipers for combat. They attended lifesaving classes taught by Navy corpsmen and honed their skills with myriad weapons systems, such as light machine guns. Meyer also spent time in his battalion's communications section learning how to call for mortar and artillery fire.

"I devoted my whole life to making the best snipers in the Marine Corps," Meyer said. "They're a direct reflection of your leadership. If you fail them in training, it could get them killed on the battlefield."

In February 2009, Meyer volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan's dangerous Kunar province and mentor Afghan soldiers as part of an embedded training team, the type of role usually filled by U.S. Special Forces.

"A Marine who seeks the challenge of joining his unit's scout sniper platoon has to have a lot of drive and determination," said Col. Nathan Nastase, commanding officer of 3rd Marine Regiment and formerly Meyer's battalion commander at 3/3. "Being assigned to the ETT was a huge vote of confidence in his abilities."

Meyer deployed to Afghanistan on the ETT in July 2009.

"Our mission was to help prepare the Afghans to take over their own country and provide security for themselves," Meyer said. "ETTs make a huge impact on the outcome of the war."

In Kunar province, Meyer and another ETT advisor would lead squads of 15 Afghan soldiers on patrols. Since he could speak Pashto, the local language, so well, Meyer often separated from the element with his Afghan trainees.

When his patrol fought to rescue another from an ambush Sept. 8, 2009, Meyer's focus on advising gave way to surviving, and on what he had to do to keep himself and his men alive.

"I lost a lot of Afghans that day," Meyer said. "And I'll tell you right now, they were just as close to me as those Marines were. At the end of the day, I don't care if they're Afghans, Iraqis, Marines or Army; it didn't matter. They're in the same [stuff] you are, and they want to go home and see their family just as bad as you do."

Thrown into unimaginable circumstances, Meyer said the Afghan soldiers and his sniper training saved his life during the battle.

Jacody Downey is a close friend of Meyer's from Kentucky. He's seen his friend grow from a fun-loving "jokester" in high school to a driven Marine who deeply respected both elders and subordinates.

"Dakota has always cared more about others than he does himself," Downey said. "Even if he's not with his Marines now, he's still constantly thinking about them, worrying about them and calling to check on them. He still considers them brothers."

Cpl. David Hawkins grew as a Marine under Meyer's leadership in 3/3's Scout Sniper Platoon.

"Meyer was an ideal leader," Hawkins, from Parker, Colo., said. "He knew everything about the Marines underneath him - how they'd respond to every situation, not only on a Marine Corps level but also on a personal level."

Hawkins said he was deeply humbled by Meyer's concern as a friend, especially after being injured in Afghanistan last year. Hawkins was severely wounded by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan Sept. 24, 2010. Four days later, he lay static in a stark hospital room, riddled with shrapnel. After groggily emerging from anesthesia into a blurry reality, Hawkins' phone rang - the first call from a friend. Without fail, Meyer's jovial drawl broke through the speaker.

"In the Marine Corps, you always hear that if something's broke, you've got to work to fix it, but you never really see the Marine who does it," Hawkins said. "Meyer is that Marine. If he had something to say, he'd say it, and he wasn't really afraid of repercussions for what he said. If it needed to be changed, he changed it."

Hearing his friend would receive the Medal of Honor didn't surprise Hawkins. In light of the "character" and "country boy" Hawkins knows, Meyer's actions were simply the manifestation of how he lived and led.

"Meyer was destined for the Medal of Honor," Hawkins said. "If you got to work with him, you'd see it."

Meyer completed his tour on active duty in June 2010. He went home to Kentucky, where he's found purpose working with his hands in a family business.

"Pouring concrete is kind of like the Marine Corps," Meyer said. "When you wake up in the morning, you've got a job … like a mission. There's no set standard on how to do things, but you just have to go out there, make decisions and get it done - and that's like the challenge of the Marine Corps. Once you're satisfied with what you've done, you stop getting better."

Meyer is the 86th living Medal of Honor recipient, and he joins a small, elite group of heroes, a reality that will often require him to conjure up haunting reminders of the battles he has fought, the friends he has lost and the painful regret he bears.

"I'm not a hero, by any means - I'm a Marine, that's what I am," he said. "The heroes are the men and women still serving, and the guys who gave their lives for their country. At the end of the day, I went in there to do the right thing, … and it all boils down to doing the right thing, … whatever it takes. All those things we learn stick in your head, and when you live by it, that's the Marine way."

Though Meyer will receive the Medal of Honor for what he did in Ganjgal, he insists he will wear the five-pointed medallion and blue silk ribbon to honor his fallen brothers, their families and his fellow Marines.

"Being a Marine is a way of life," Meyer said. "It isn't just a word, and it's not just about the uniform - it's about brotherhood. Brotherhood means that when you turn around, they're there, through thick and thin. If you can't take care of your brothers, what can you do in life?"

Wounded Soldier to Receive Medal of Honor

Army News Service

WASHINGTON, June 1, 2011 – An Army Ranger who lost his right hand and suffered shrapnel wounds after throwing an armed grenade away from his fellow soldiers will be the second living Medal of Honor recipient from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On July 12, President Barack Obama will present the nation’s highest award for battlefield gallantry to Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry for his actions during May 26, 2008, combat operations against an armed enemy in Afghanistan’s Paktia province.

Petry now serves as part of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Fort Benning, Ga.

"It's very humbling to know that the guys thought that much of me and my actions that day to nominate me for that," said Petry, on learning he had been nominated for the medal.

At the time of his actions in Afghanistan, Petry was assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. His actions came as part of a rare daylight raid to capture a high-value target.

Petry was to locate himself with the platoon headquarters in the targeted building once it was secured. Once there, he was to serve as the senior noncommissioned officer at the site for the remainder of the operation.

Recognizing one of the assault squads needed help clearing their assigned building, Petry relayed to the platoon leader that he was moving to that squad to provide additional supervision and guidance. Once the residential portion of the building had been cleared, Petry took a fellow member of the assault squad, Pfc. Lucas Robinson, to clear the outer courtyard. Petry knew that area had not been cleared during the initial clearance.

Petry and Robinson, both Rangers, moved into an area of the compound that contained at least three enemy fighters who were prepared to engage friendly forces from opposite ends of the outer courtyard.

As the two soldiers entered the courtyard, to their front was an opening, followed by a chicken coop. As they crossed the open area, an enemy insurgent fired on them. Petry was wounded by one round, which went through both of his legs. Robinson was also hit in his side plate by a separate round.

While wounded and under enemy fire, Petry led Robinson to the cover of the chicken coop as the enemy fighters continued to fire at them.

As the senior soldier, Petry assessed the situation. He reported that contact was made and that two wounded Rangers were in the courtyard of the primary target building. Upon hearing the report, Sgt. Daniel Higgins, a team leader, moved to the outer courtyard.

As Higgins was moving to Petry and Robinson's position, Petry threw a thermobaric grenade near the enemy position. Shortly after that grenade exploded and created a lull in the enemy fire, Higgins arrived at the chicken coop and was assessing his comrades’ wounds when an insurgent threw a grenade over the chicken coop at the three Rangers. The grenade landed about 10 yards from the soldiers, knocking them to the ground and wounding Higgins and Robinson.

Shortly after the grenade exploded, Staff Sgt. James Roberts and Spc. Christopher Gathercole entered the courtyard and moved toward the chicken coop.

With three soldiers taking cover in the chicken coop, an enemy fighter threw another grenade at them. This time, the grenade landed just a few feet from Higgins and Robinson. Recognizing the threat that the enemy grenade posed to his fellow Rangers, Petry -- despite his own wounds and with complete disregard for his personal safety -- consciously and deliberately risked his life to move to and secure the live enemy grenade and throw it away from his fellow Rangers, according to battlefield reports.

As Petry released the grenade in the direction of the enemy, preventing the serious injury or death of Higgins and Robinson, it detonated and amputated his right hand.

Petry assessed his wound and placed a tourniquet on his right arm. He then reported that he was still in contact with the enemy and that he had been wounded again.

After the blast that amputated Petry's hand, Roberts began to engage the enemy behind the chicken coop with small-arms fire and a grenade. His actions suppressed the insurgents behind the chicken coop. Shortly after, another enemy fighter on the east end of the courtyard began firing, fatally wounding Gathercole.

Higgins and Robinson returned fire and killed the enemy.

Moments later, Sgt. 1st Class Jerod Staidle, the platoon sergeant, and Spc. Gary Depriest, the platoon medic, arrived in the outer courtyard. After directing Depriest to treat Gathercole, Staidle moved to Petry's position. Staidle and Higgins then assisted Petry as he moved to the casualty collection point.

Higgins later wrote in a statement, "If not for Staff Sergeant Petry's actions, we would have been seriously wounded or killed."

Petry is the ninth servicemember to have been named a recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. All but Petry and Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta were awarded the honor posthumously.

Army Spc. Ross A. McGinnis, Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor and Marine Corps Cpl. Jason L. Dunham all received the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq. Giunta, Army Staff Sgt. Robert Miller, Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti and Navy Lt. Michael P. Murphy were awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan.

Petry currently serves as a liaison officer for the U.S. Special Operations Command Care Coalition Northwest Region, and provides oversight to wounded warriors, ill and injured servicemembers and their families.

He enlisted in the Army from his hometown of Santa Fe, N.M., in September 1999. After completion of One Station Unit Training, the Basic Airborne Course and the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program -- all at Fort Benning -- he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

Petry has served as a grenadier, squad automatic rifleman, fire team leader, squad leader, operations sergeant and weapons squad leader. He has deployed eight times, with two tours to Iraq and six tours to Afghanistan.

Petry and his wife, Ashley, have four children: Brittany, Austin, Reagan and Landon.

Obama Cites Military Successes in State of Union Address

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2011 – In a State of the Union address here marked by a call for renewed American innovation and cooperation, President Barack Obama pointed to the nation’s military as an example to follow.

“Look to Iraq, where nearly 100,000 of our brave men and women have left with their heads held high; American combat patrols have ended; violence is down; and a new government has been formed,” the commander in chief said.

In Afghanistan, U.S. troops have taken Taliban strongholds and trained Afghan Security Forces, and will continue to deny al Qaeda the safe-haven that served as a launching pad for 9/11, he said.

“Thanks to our heroic troops and civilians, fewer Afghans are under the control of the insurgency,” Obama said. “There will be tough fighting ahead, and the Afghan government will need to deliver better governance.”

But U.S. and coalition efforts are strengthening Afghan capacity and building an enduring partnership with the Afghan people, he said.

“This year, we will work with nearly 50 countries to begin a transition to an Afghan lead. And this July, we will begin to bring our troops home,” the president said.

The nation has sent a message to all parts of the globe, Obama said: “We will not relent, we will not waver, and we will defeat you.”

Obama credited American leadership, especially in the New Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, for curbing the global nuclear threat.

Thanks to the treaty, he said, far fewer nuclear weapons and launchers will be deployed.

“Because we rallied the world, nuclear materials are being locked down on every continent so they never fall into the hands of terrorists,” he said.

America leads the world in the quest for freedom and security, the president said, and the nation must always remember “that the Americans who have borne the greatest burden in this struggle are the men and women who serve our country.”

The nation can repay that service, he said, “by giving them the equipment they need; by providing them with the care and benefits that they have earned; and by enlisting our veterans in the great task of building our own nation.”

American troops represent every creed, color, culture and geographical region in the nation, Obama said. And, he added, some are gay, and may now serve openly for the first time since the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law was overturned late last year.

“Starting this year, no American will be forbidden from serving the country they love because of who they love,” he said. “And with that change, I call on all our college campuses to open their doors to our military recruiters and ROTC. It is time to leave behind the divisive battles of the past. It is time to move forward as one nation.”

First Lady Michelle Obama included among her guests for the address current and former military members, including Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, who received the Medal of Honor in November; Army Staff Sgt. Brian Mast, who lost both legs below the knee and suffered several other injuries in a roadside bomb blast while serving in Afghanistan; Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Nicole Mohabir, who has deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan; and Dr. Peter Rhee, a Navy veteran and former military surgeon, now director of medical trauma at the University Medical Center in Tucson, Ariz. Rhee oversaw the treatment of victims injured in the Jan. 8 Tucson shootings, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

Obama Awards Posthumous Medal of Honor to Green Beret

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2010 – President Barack Obama paid tribute today to a young U.S. Army Special Forces sergeant who gave up his life for his fellow soldiers.

During a White House ceremony, the president awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor recognizing Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller’s 2008 actions in Afghanistan. Miller’s parents, Phil and Maureen Miller, accepted the award.

“We are a nation of more than 300 million Americans. Of these, less than 1 percent wears the uniform of our armed services. And of these, just a small fraction has earned the badges of our special operations forces,” the president said. “In the finest military the world has ever known, these warriors are the best of the best. In an era that prizes celebrity and status, they are quiet professionals -- never seeking the spotlight. In a time of war, they have borne a burden far beyond their small numbers.”

The Medal of Honor is the highest military award a servicemember can receive for valor in action against a combatant force. Miller’s Medal of Honor is the seventh awarded, all posthumously, to troops serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. A living soldier, Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, has been chosen for the award but has yet to receive it.

“It has been said that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point,” Obama said. “For Rob Miller, the testing point came nearly three years ago, deep in a snowy Afghan valley. But the courage he displayed that day reflects every virtue that defined his life: … Devotion to duty. An abiding sense of honor. A profound love of country.”

Miller served as a weapons sergeant for Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group Airborne. He was the team’s youngest member, on his second deployment to Afghanistan.

His team was supporting an Afghan Border Police security patrol in Kunar province Jan. 25, 2008. Taliban fighters opened fire on the group from nearby buildings and from behind boulders. The team called in air strikes on the enemy position, but came under fire again when they moved forward to search for survivors.

Miller’s team captain was seriously wounded, and Miller remained at the front of the patrol to lay down suppressive fire as the captain was moved to safety. Other team members bounded back over the snowy terrain to find cover and return fire.

“Rob held his ground. Despite the chaos around him, he radioed back enemy positions. As the only Pashto speaker on his team, he organized the Afghan soldiers around him. But the incoming fire, in the words of one soldier, was simply ‘astounding,’” the president said.

“Rob made a decision. He called for his team to fall back. And then he did something extraordinary. Rob moved in the other direction -- toward the enemy, drawing their guns away from his team and bringing the fire of all those insurgents down upon himself,” Obama said.

The young weapons sergeant continued to fire his weapon and lob grenades at the enemy positions, drawing fire to cover the team’s movement even after he was wounded by machine-gun fire. Army accounts of the incident said more than 100 Taliban fighters shot at Miller. Team members say he returned fire for more than 20 minutes after he was wounded. Then his weapon and radio went silent.

“This is the story of what one American soldier did for his team, but it’s also a story of what they did for him,” Obama said. “Two of his teammates braved the bullets and rushed to Rob’s aid. In those final moments, they were there at his side -- American soldiers there for each other.

“The relentless fire forced them back, but they refused to leave their fallen comrade. When reinforcements arrived, these Americans went in again - risking their lives, taking more casualties - determined to bring Rob Miller out of that valley. And finally, after fighting that raged for hours, they did,” the president said.

Miller’s courage saved his captain’s life, and enabled seven of his fellow Special Forces soldiers and 15 Afghan troops to survive, gain cover and repel the attack, Army officials said.

The president said Miller’s legacy endures in the love of his parents, the pride of his brothers and sisters, in the Afghans he trained and defended, and in the service of his teammates.

“Finally, Rob Miller -- and all those who give their lives in our name -- endure in each of us. Every American is safer because of their service. And every American has a duty to remember and honor their sacrifice,” Obama said.

Miller was born in Harrisburg, Pa., and raised in Wheaton, Ill. His family moved to Florida shortly after the young man graduated from Wheaton High School. He joined the Army in 2003, graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2004 and completed the Special Forces Weapons Sergeant Course in 2005.

In addition to his parents, Miller is survived by his brothers Thomas, Martin and Edward; and sisters Joanna, Mary, Therese and Patricia.

First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, Army Secretary John McHugh, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. and Navy Adm. Eric Olsen, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, attended today’s ceremony.

Also on hand were several of Miller’s teammates from Alpha Company and more than 100 of his friends and family members.

Here is the text of Miller’s Medal of Honor citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by act of Congress, March 3rd, 1863, has awarded, in the name of the Congress, the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.

Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller distinguished himself by extraordinary acts of heroism while serving as the weapons sergeant in Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3312, Special Operations Task Force 33, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on January 25th, 2008.

While conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol through the Gowardesh Valley, Staff Sergeant Miller and his small element of U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers engaged a force of 15 to 20 insurgents occupying prepared fighting positions. Staff Sergeant Miller initiated the assault by engaging the enemy positions with his vehicle’s turret-mounted Mk 19 40-millimeter automatic grenade launcher, while simultaneously providing detailed descriptions of the enemy positions to his command, enabling effective, accurate close air support.

Following the engagement, Staff Sergeant Miller led a small squad forward to conduct a battle damage assessment. As the group neared the small, steep, narrow valley that the enemy had inhabited, a large, well-coordinated insurgent force initiated a near ambush, assaulting from elevated positions with ample cover.

Exposed and with little available cover, the patrol was totally vulnerable to enemy rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons fire.

As a point man, Staff Sergeant Miller was at the front of the patrol, cut off from supporting elements and less than 20 meters from enemy forces. Nonetheless, with total disregard for his own safety, he called for his men to quickly move back to cover positions as he charged the enemy over exposed ground and under overwhelming enemy fire in order to provide protective fire for his team.

While maneuvering to engage the enemy, Staff Sergeant Miller was shot in the upper torso. Ignoring the wound, he continued to push the fight. Moving to draw fire from over 100 enemy fighters upon himself, he then again charged forward through an open area in order to allow his teammates to safely reach cover.

After killing at least 10 insurgents, wounding dozens more and repeatedly exposing himself to withering enemy fire while moving from position to position, Staff Sergeant Miller was mortally wounded by enemy fire. His extraordinary valor ultimately saved the lives of seven members of his own team and 15 Afghan National Army soldiers.

Staff Sergeant Miller’s heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty and at the cost of his own life are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.

Medal of Honor Designee Praises Fellow Servicemembers

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2010 – A soldier designated to receive the Medal of Honor downplayed the notion that he is a hero today, insisting that his fellow servicemembers also deserve to be described that way.

“If I’m a hero, every man that stands around me, every woman in the military, everyone who goes into the unknown is a hero,” Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta said. “So if you think that that’s a hero, … you include everyone with me.”

He and his wife, Jenny, both Iowa natives, spoke from Vicenza, Italy, to Pentagon reporters during a video news conference.

Giunta, 25, learned during a Sept. 9 phone call from President Barack Obama that he will become the first living servicemember to receive the Medal of Honor for actions during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Then a 22-year-old specialist serving as a rifle team leader with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team’s Company B, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Giunta earned the nation’s highest military honor for his heroism the night of Oct. 25, 2007, when his squad encountered an insurgent ambush in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley.

Giunta, who has been assigned to the same company for his entire military career, said his platoon was in an overwatch position that day, which had started “like any other day in Afghanistan.” The soldiers had struck their equipment and were moving out to return to their outpost as night began to fall.

“[We] moved down the trail that we were by, that we sat at all day, probably 50 meters, maybe 100 meters, and that’s when we were engaged in the L-shaped ambush,” he said.

According to reports, when the insurgent ambush split Giunta's squad into two groups, he exposed himself to enemy fire to pull a squad mate back to cover. Later, while firing on the enemy and attempting to link up with the rest of his squad, Giunta said he saw two insurgents carrying away a fellow soldier, Sgt. Joshua C. Brennan.

Giunta recovered his fellow soldier, shooting and killing one enemy fighter and wounding, then driving off, another. He then provided medical aid to his wounded comrade while the rest of his squad caught up and provided security. Brennan, 22, from McFarland, Wis., died the next day during surgery. A medic, Spc. Hugh Mendoza, 29, of Glendale, Ariz., also died.

Giunta said his intent during the ambush wasn’t to be a hero.

“I was out of grenades … and I had the forward momentum going,” he said. “I didn’t run up to do anything heroic or to save Brennan. Brennan, in my mind, wasn’t in trouble. I was just going to go up and I’m going to find Brennan, and we’re going to shoot together, because it’s better to shoot with a buddy than to be shooting alone.”

Giunta said he didn’t do more that night than any other soldier would have done in his place.

“This is what I’ve chosen to do with my life, … and everyone else I’m with is in the same boat,” he said. “All professionals, all conducting themselves as professionals, so there wasn’t a whole lot of thinking that any of us needed to do. … Everyone just kind of played their part, followed their leaders, and conducted themselves how they were trained.”

For most of the three years since Korengal Valley, Giunta has been reluctant to discuss events he clearly remembers with pain.

Today, facing cameras and speaking with reporters, he called the honor bitter-sweet.

“It’s such a huge, huge honor, and right now the 173rd is deployed. And they are doing the same thing they did, everything that’s asked of them in Afghanistan, all over again. That’s where a lot of my friends are right now. For me to fully accept this, I have to have everyone who’s been by me every time I needed them, and that’s really my brothers in arms.

“Some of them are out of the Army now, and some of them are in Afghanistan now … there are a lot of [other] people I’d just love to share this moment with, and I’m just not going to have the opportunity, because they’re no longer with us. They gave everything for their country,” he said.

Giunta’s parents, Steve and Rose Giunta, spoke to reporters about their son during a Sept. 11 news conference from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Rose recounted the day she spoke with her son on the phone after the ambush occurred.

“I said, ‘Can you tell me what has happened?’ And he said ‘I can’t, Mom, I’m not ready to.’ I was crying, looking out the window, [trying to] talk about something beyond the questions that are going through my head,” she said. “We stayed on the phone for probably 20 minutes, and then he had to go. But it was very difficult, and I didn’t learn anything that day -- just that two men had died, and everyone had gotten hit.”

Jenny, 26, works at the post youth center, teaches yoga and takes online classes to prepare for medical studies. She said she didn’t know about the Korengal Valley incident until the following day, but remembers the call from the president a week ago.

“It was intense. It was exciting,” she said. “When the call came through I was really, really proud. I always say I’m proud to be with him, I’m proud to be his wife, and I’m proud of what he went through.”

Giunta is serving as part of the unit’s rear detachment while the brigade is again deployed to Afghanistan. His former squad leader, Staff Sgt. Erick Gallardo, who was with him the night of the ambush, called him from Afghanistan after the Medal of Honor award was announced, Guinta said.

“He just told me that he’s there for me, and he’s proud of me, and he’s happy for me, and this means a lot to the guys,” Giunta said. “And honestly, hearing him say that to me, someone I look up to telling me this, it means a lot to me -- especially that he can say that from the guys, too, that I think are the heroes right now.

“They’re out there fighting the enemies of the United States while I’m just sitting here,” he added.

Six previous medals of honor have been awarded during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They were awarded posthumously to one Marine Corps, two Navy and three Army servicemembers. The president is scheduled to present the seventh posthumous award to the family of Army Staff Sgt. Robert Miller in an Oct. 6 ceremony Oct. 6.

Obama to Award Medal of Honor to Afghan War Vet

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2010 – The Medal of Honor will be awarded for the first time to a living veteran of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, White House officials announced today in a written statement.

Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta received a phone call from President Barack Obama yesterday, thanking him for his service. Obama informed the infantryman that he would receive the nation’s highest award for his service and extraordinary bravery in battle, the statement said.

The event occurred Oct. 25, 2007, in eastern Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. Giunta was a specialist at the time and rifle team leader. He served in Company B, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, based out of Vicenza, Italy.

Giunta overcame being separated from his unit, evaded potential enemy captors and risked his life to rescue two fellow soldiers. His unit was divided during the gun battle. One fellow soldier was exposed to enemy fire when Giunta left his cover to pull the soldier to safety.

The enemy continued to engage Giunta and the soldier as they worked to link up with their squad. During the movement, Giunta noticed two insurgents carrying the second soldier, trying to take him captive.

Giunta immediately engaged the combatants, killing one and wounding another. He provided medical aid to the soldier while others provided security. The soldier eventually died of his wounds, but Giunta’s actions prevented him from staying in enemy hands.

The White House statement did not say when Giunta will receive his medal.

Giunta, 25, is a native of Iowa, and enlisted in the Army in November 2003. He deployed twice to Afghanistan, and currently is stationed in Vicenza. He will become the eighth Medal of Honor recipient for actions in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Soldier to Receive Posthumous Medal of Honor

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2010 – In an Oct. 6 ceremony at the White House, President Barack Obama will present the Medal of Honor to the parents of a soldier who died while saving members of his team and 15 Afghan soldiers.

Army Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller, who was 24 years old when he died, will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for heroic actions in Barikowt, Afghanistan, on Jan. 25, 2008.

“He displayed immeasurable courage and uncommon valor --eventually sacrificing his own life to save the lives of his teammates and 15 Afghanistan National Army soldiers,” White House officials said in a written statement issued today announcing the honor.

Miller’s parents, Phil and Maureen Miller, will join the president at the ceremony, the statement said.

Miller was born on Oct. 14, 1983, in Harrisburg, Pa., and graduated from Wheaton North High School in Wheaton, Ill. Shortly after his family moved to Oviedo, Fla., he enlisted in the Army in August 2003 as a Special Forces candidate. He attended basic training and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Ga., and received his Green Beret in 2005.

He served as a weapons sergeant in Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, based at Fort Bragg, N.C.

His military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with "V" device, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Special Forces tab, the Ranger tab and the parachute badge.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by brothers Thomas, Martin and Edward and sisters Joanna, Mary, Therese and Patricia.

Fallen Navy SEAL Enshrined in Pentagon's Hall of Heroes

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

April 9, 2008 - Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor, a Navy SEAL who posthumously received the Medal of Honor yesterday for his heroic actions in Iraq, joined a rarefied fraternity of military heroes at the Pentagon today. In September 2006, Monsoor leaped onto a grenade and used his body to absorb a blast that likely would have killed two fellow SEALs and several Iraqi soldiers. For his heroism, the Defense Department today enshrined Monsoor's name alongside the 3,446 other Medal of Honor recipients honored in its Hall of Heroes.

"To stand in this room, surrounded by reminders of greatness, of sacrifice and of heroism almost beyond comprehension, shakes the soul and stirs the heart," Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter told the audience inside the Hall of Heroes.

Monsoor, a 25 year-old machine gunner with SEAL Team 3, was providing security in Ramadi, Iraq, at a sniper lookout post on Sept. 29, 2006, when a fragmentation grenade hit his chest and bounced to the floor. Positioned next to the single exit, only Monsoor could have escaped harm.

Instead, he threw himself onto the grenade. Monsoor used his body to absorb the blast and shield two nearby SEALs. The SEALs and eight Iraqi soldiers survived, some with wounds, others unscathed.

Thirty minutes later, Monsoor died.

"He had a clear path to safety," Winter said. "But he chose a different path, a path of honor that embodies the way of a Navy SEAL."

When Monsoor was assigned to Ramadi, it was the most dangerous city in the world for an American servicemember, said Navy Adm. Eric Olson, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.

Monsoor and his unit received hostile fire on 75 percent of their missions, and many believed the entire Anbar province -- home to Ramadi and other fiercely contentious cities -- was "irrevocably lost to a growing insurgency," Olson said.

"At that time, in that place, what was needed most was brave and highly trained men with guns, determination and discipline," he said. "Navy SEALs ... answered the call, and Michael Monsoor was the best of them."

Army Lt. Col. Ronald Clark, Monsoor's former commanding officer, said the petty officer and his unit embodied the strength and courage of the unified fight against the enemy.

Their efforts, he said, helped foster what is known as the "Anbar Awakening," a societal purging of extremism by a coalition-Anbari alliance that ushered in a level of stability unprecedented since U.S. operations in Iraq began.

"Mikey's valor and selfless service will continue to inspire legions of brave Americans," said Army Lt. Col. Ronald Clark, former commander of the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment. "He'll inspire brave men and women to take up arms to protect our country and our way of life.

"He'll continue to inspire us all, because his spirit is forever woven in the fabric of a grateful nation who will never forget him or his sacrifice to save the lives of his brothers on that rooftop," he continued. "We are honored by his life, humbled by his courage and blessed to have served in the company of a hero."

Family members of the slain SEAL wept and clutched each other in a ceremony packed with servicemembers of all branches and rank who gathered to pay homage to the fourth servicemember to receive the Medal of Honor since the beginning of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

George and Sally Monsoor, the fallen petty officer's parents, accepted the decoration on their son's behalf during a White House ceremony yesterday. The Medal of Honor, awarded for gallantry in combat exceeding the call of duty, is the nation's highest military decoration.

President Bush yesterday characterized Monsoor, a native of Long Beach, Calif., as an unlikely candidate for the SEALs. As a child, he suffered from asthma attacks and coughing fits that routinely landed him in the hospital, Bush said.

But the asthmatic child resolved to wean himself off his inhaler, strengthening his lungs by challenging his siblings in swimming races. The determined child grew into a young man who eventually completed SEAL training, which Bush called the "ultimate test of physical endurance."

"Less than a third of those who begin this training become SEALs," he said. "But Mike would not be denied a spot."

Providing historical context for the decoration today, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon R. England told the audience the Medal of Honor is earned through actions so courageous they dwarf all other forms of bravery.

"It must put the recipient's life at risk. It must be the type of deed, which had it not been done, the recipient would not be subject to criticism," he told the audience today. "It, and its recipients, are genuine national treasures."

England said war brings to the fore the best and worst human qualities. "Michael Monsoor showed us, again and again, on the violent battlefields of Iraq, and in every step of his young life, the very best we can be," he said.

Bush Confers Highest Military Decoration on Fallen Navy SEAL

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

April 8, 2008 - President Bush today posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Mansoor, a Navy SEAL whose mortal sacrifice in Iraq saved the lives of two fellow SEALs and several Iraqi soldiers. The fallen SEAL's parents, George and Sally Monsoor, accepted the honor on their son's behalf during a White House ceremony. The Medal of Honor, awarded for gallantry in combat exceeding the call of duty, is the nation's highest military decoration.

"In September 2006, Michael laid down his life for his brothers in arms," Bush said. "Today, we remember the life of this faithful Navy SEAL, and on behalf of a grateful nation, we will present Michael Mansoor's family with the Medal of Honor that he earned."

Monsoor, a 25 year-old machine gunner with SEAL Team 3, was providing security at a sniper lookout post on Sept. 29, 2006, in Ramadi, Iraq, when a fragmentation grenade hit his chest and bounced to the floor. Positioned next to the single exit, only Monsoor could have escaped harm.

Instead, he threw himself onto the grenade. Monsoor used his body to absorb the blast and shield two nearby SEALs. The SEALs and eight Iraqi soldiers survived, some with wounds, others unscathed. Monsoor died a half hour later.

"One of the survivors puts it this way: 'Mikey looked death in the face that day and said, "You cannot take my brothers. I will go in their stead,"'" said Bush, quoting one of the SEALs saved by Monsoor.

In remarks today, the president characterized the petty officer as an unlikely candidate for the SEALs. As a child, he suffered from asthma attacks and coughing fits that routinely landed him in the hospital, Bush said.

But the asthmatic child resolved to wean himself off his inhaler, strengthening his lungs by challenging his siblings in swimming races. The determined child grew into a young man who eventually completed SEAL training, which Bush called the "ultimate test of physical endurance."

"Less than a third of those who begin this training become SEALs," he said. "But Mike would not be denied a spot."

The maritime component of U.S. Special Operations Command, Navy SEALs are expert reconnoiters and stealth warriors, often performing clandestine operations that larger forces cannot conduct undetected. Today Monsoor became the first SEAL to earn the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq and the second SEAL to receive the award since Sept. 11, 2001.

Monsoor will be inducted tomorrow into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes, where his name will be engraved alongside some 3,445 recipients of the nation's highest honor.

The petty officer previously was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with combat "V" device, and a Purple Heart before becoming the fourth servicemember to receive the Medal of Honor since the beginning of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Awarded by the president in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor was created in 1861 as a personal award of valor for members of the Navy. Today, every service branch confers the rare honor upon those who distinguish themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life."

"The Medal of Honor is awarded for an act of such courage that no one could rightly be expected to undertake it," the president said. "Yet those who knew Michael Monsoor were not surprised when he did."

Navy SEAL, Medal of Honor Recipient, to be Inducted into the Hall of Heroes

Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England will induct Medal of Honor recipient Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor into the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon in a ceremony April 9 at 2 p.m. EDT.

The White House announced Monday that Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor will be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in combat Sept. 26, 2006, while serving as an automatic weapons gunner in a Naval Special Warfare Unit in Ar Ramadi, Iraq.

President Bush is expected to present the Medal of Honor to Petty Officer Monsoor's parents at a ceremony at the White House on April 8 at 3 p.m. Media interested in covering this event should contact the White House Office of Media Affairs at (202) 456-6238.

The Pentagon ceremony will add his name to the roster in the Hall of Heroes, the Defense Department's permanent display of record for all recipients of the Medal of Honor. Media representatives who want to cover the Hall of Heroes induction ceremony on April 9 may contact Navy Public Affairs at (703) 697-5342.

At 7 p.m. on the same day, Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, will present the Medal of Honor flag to Monsoon's parents in a ceremony at the Navy Memorial. Congress ordered the creation of the Medal of Honor flag to commemorate the sacrifice and blood shed for freedom. Media interested in attending this ceremony please call the Navy Memorial at (202) 380-0718.

Monsoor is the first Navy service member to receive the Medal of Honor for combat in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is the second Navy service member and the fourth member of the armed services to receive the Medal of Honor for combat in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

More information about Monsoor's life and career can be found at http://www.navy.mil/moh/monsoor

Bush Presents Medal of Honor to Parents of Navy SEAL

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 22, 2007 - President Bush today posthumously presented the Medal of Honor earned by Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a Navy SEAL who sacrificed his life in an attempt to save fellow SEALs during a fierce battle with Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. The Medal of Honor, accepted by Murphy's parents, Maureen and Dan Murphy, during a White House ceremony, is the highest military decoration. Murphy's is the first Medal of Honor awarded for service in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

"Today we add Lieutenant Michael Murphy's name to the list of recipients who have made the ultimate sacrifice," Bush said. "By presenting Michael Murphy's family with the Medal of Honor that he earned, a grateful nation remembers the courage of this proud Navy SEAL."

On June 28, 2005, as Murphy led a four-man SEAL team in search of key terrorist commander, the unit came under attack by some 50 Taliban fighters. The lieutenant is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates, according to a summary of action published by the Navy.

Despite intense combat around him, Murphy -- already wounded in the firefight -- moved into the open where he could gain a better transmission signal and request backup from headquarters. At one point, Murphy was shot in the back, causing him to drop the transmitter. The lieutenant picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy as they closed in.

By the time the two-hour gunfight had concluded, Murphy and two others SEALs had been killed. An estimated 35 Taliban died in the fighting.

As a somber postscript to Murphy's bravery, the helicopter that he requested crashed after being struck by a rocket- propelled grenade, killing everyone on board. In total, 19 Americans died in what Bush referred to as "the deadliest for Navy Special Warfare forces since World War II."

The president characterized Murphy as a born Navy SEAL.

"SEALs get their name from operating by sea, air and land, and even as a toddler, Michael could find his way through any obstacle," Bush said. "When he was just 18 months old, he darted across a neighbor's yard and dove into the swimming pool. By the time his frantic parents reached him, Michael had swum to the other side with a big smile on his face."

In addition to his physical strength, Bush said Murphy's strong moral character also was apparent at an early age.

"One day in school, he got into a scuffle sticking up for a student with a disability. It's the only time his parents ever got a phone call from the principal, and they couldn't have been prouder," Bush said. "Michael's passion for helping others led him to become a caring brother, a tutor, a life guard and eventually a member of the United States armed forces."

The president welcomed Murphy's parents and brother, John, who hail from Patchogue, N.Y., to the White House's East Room, noting that Murphy's decision to join the U.S. military was not easily accepted by his family. "As a Purple Heart recipient during Vietnam, Michael's father understood the sacrifices that accompany a life of service. He also understood that his son was prepared to make these sacrifices," Bush added.

Murphy is remembered by fellow SEALs as a wisecracking friend who went by "Mikey" or "Murph," a patriot who wore a New York City firehouse patch on his uniform in honor of the heroes of 9/11, Bush said.

"And they remember an officer who respected their opinions and led them with an understated yet unmistakable sense of command. Together Michael and his fellow SEALs deployed multiple times around the world in the war against the extremists and radicals," Bush said. "And while their missions were often carried out in secrecy, their love of country and devotion to each other was always clear."

Murphy is one of three servicemembers to receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for gallantry in action during the war on terror. The president has presented medals to the families of Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith and Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, who died in Iraq.