Synopses & Reviews
A compelling memoir from a true hero—an ordinary man who joined the army and became one of the few living persons to ever be awarded the celebrated Medal of Honor.Sal Giunta was just a regular kid from Iowa when he enlisted in the army to figure out what to do with his life. He never thought that a few tours of duty later, he would be the first living person since the Vietnam War to be awarded the esteemed Medal of Honor.
Deployed into Afghanistan, Giunta had a firsthand perspective of the ground war and its daily difficulties. He and around 150 of his company were stationed in the dangerous Korengal Valley in 2007. Giunta called it, “basically hell on earth.”
Late one night in October of 2007, Giunta’s company embarked on a sting operation into the Taliban’s forces. They were ambushed on a rugged mountain path by twenty insurgents. Giunta sprang into action and with little regard for his own safety, he withstood enemy fire to administer medical aid to his wounded fellow soldiers—even rescuing one soldier who was being carried away by the insurgents—until his squad reached safety.
For the unrivaled bravery and selflessness of his actions, Giunta was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama. In this fascinating and riveting memoir, he depicts the realities of war, as well as the moment-by-moment details of the event that earned him the nation’s highest distinction.
Review
"Candid, confessional...a simply told account that reminds us of the awesome weight accompanying this signal honor."
Review
andlt;xmlandgt; andlt;/xmlandgt;andlt;xmlandgt; andlt;/xmlandgt;and#8220;More than anything, itand#8217;s his genuineness and humility that will make you appreciate Giuntaand#8217;s spirit and his memoir. If we as a nation are still capable of producing young men like him, weand#8217;re doing okay.and#8221;
Review
"An adept observer of human nature, Giunta's portraits of his comrades-in-arms are full of wit and warmth about their foibles and admiration for their combat skills...With clarity and maturity, Giunta shows he understands the complexities of contemporary Afghan society."
Review
“More than anything, it’s his genuineness and humility that will make you appreciate Giunta’s spirit and his memoir. If we as a nation are still capable of producing young men like him, we’re doing okay.” Time Magazine
Review
"Candid, confessional...a simply told account that reminds us of the awesome weight accompanying this signal honor." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"An adept observer of human nature, Giunta's portraits of his comrades-in-arms are full of wit and warmth about their foibles and admiration for their combat skills...With clarity and maturity, Giunta shows he understands the complexities of contemporary Afghan society." Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
A compelling memoir from a true hero--an ordinary man who joined the army and became one of the few living persons to ever be awarded the celebrated Medal of Honor.
Medal of Honor winner Staff Sergeant "Sal" Giunta's empowering memoir describes a boy working at a Subway shop who was attracted to an Army recruiting center by a free T-shirt, but left inspired by the thought of making a difference to the world. After enlisting, he was posted to Afghanistan, where he learned from the seasoned soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade about a totally new kind of war. In 2007, while he was on patrol in the Korengal Valley--the "Valley of Death"--his lessons on duty and honor in the face of danger were tested. His squad was ambushed by Taliban insurgents and pinned down under blistering fire. When their leader fell, Giunta shielded him with his own body. Amid the chaos, he continued to fight and protect his wounded comrades until Apache air cover finally brought a halt to the action.
Living with Honor is a remarkable account by a man who insists he was "just a soldier," but who has made the difference he dreamed of. His candid, insightful tale is a moving testament to the power of the human spirit.
Synopsis
Medal of Honor winner Staff Sergeant and#8220;Saland#8221; Giuntaand#8217;s empowering memoir describes a boy working at a Subway shop who was attracted to an Army recruiting center by a free T-shirt, but left inspired by the thought of making a difference to the world. After enlisting, he was posted to Afghanistan, where he learned from the seasoned soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade about a totally new kind of war. In 2007, while he was on patrol in the Korengal Valleyand#8212;the and#8220;Valley of Deathand#8221;and#8212;his lessons on duty and honor in the face of danger were tested. His squad was ambushed by Taliban insurgents and pinned down under blistering fire. When their leader fell, Giunta shielded him with his own body. Amid the chaos, he continued to fight and protect his wounded comrades until Apache air cover finally brought a halt to the action. andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;I andgt;Living with Honorandlt;/Iandgt; is a remarkable account by a man who insists he was and#8220;just a soldier,and#8221; but who has made the difference he dreamed of. His candid, insightful tale is a moving testament to the power of the human spirit.
Synopsis
Medal of Honor winner Staff Sergeant “Sal” Giunta’s empowering memoir describes a boy working at a Subway shop who was attracted to an Army recruiting center by a free T-shirt, but left inspired by the thought of making a difference to the world. After enlisting, he was posted to Afghanistan, where he learned from the seasoned soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade about a totally new kind of war. In 2007, while he was on patrol in the Korengal Valley—the “Valley of Death”—his lessons on duty and honor in the face of danger were tested. His squad was ambushed by Taliban insurgents and pinned down under blistering fire. When their leader fell, Giunta shielded him with his own body. Amid the chaos, he continued to fight and protect his wounded comrades until Apache air cover finally brought a halt to the action.
Living with Honor is a remarkable account by a man who insists he was “just a soldier,” but who has made the difference he dreamed of. His candid, insightful tale is a moving testament to the power of the human spirit.
About the Author
andlt;Bandgt;Salvatore A. Giunta andlt;/Bandgt;retired from active duty in 2011. Prior to that, he was responsible for the health, welfare, morale, training, and accountability of the soldiers in his company in the Army, working to ensure all unit family members were well taken care of while their spouses were deployed in Afghanistan. He is one of the few living persons to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor, and he was presented the award by President Obama in a White House ceremony on November 16, 2010. Giunta has also received numerous other commendations, including the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and the Purple Heart. He lives in Colorado with his wife, Jen, and their daughter.andlt;i andgt;andlt;/iandgt;Joe Layden has authored or coauthored more than thirty books, including multipleandlt;iandgt; New York Timesandlt;/iandgt; bestsellers.