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From the Archives: Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta Awarded Medal of Honor

November 16, 2012 at 5:00 PM ET by Lea Prohov
Summary: 
November 16 marks the two-year anniversary of the President awarding the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta.
President Barack Obama Presents the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta

President Barack Obama presents the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta in the East Room of the White House, November 16, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Two years ago today, the President presented the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta—the first living service member from the Iraq or Afghanistan wars to receive it. During the award reception in the East Room of the White House, the President offered deep gratitude for his service, and candidly remarked how much he respected Sergeant Giunta:

Now, I’m going to go off-script here for a second and just say I really like this guy," said the President to laughter and applause.  "I think anybody -- we all just get a sense of people and who they are, and when you meet Sal and you meet his family, you are just absolutely convinced that this is what America is all about.

Read the President's full remarks here.

Watch Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta’s Medal of Honor ceremony here.

Check out these ceremonies of other brave Americans the President has awarded with the Medal of Honor:

To learn more:

Visit Joining Forces and see how the Administration is working with the private sector to provide job opportunities to service members and military families.