Living with Honor
A Memoir
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
There was the sound of a single bullet, and then . . . a deafening barrage of gunfire and explosions. There were, literally, thousands of bullets in the air at once, and more tracers streaking across the sky than there were stars overhead. It was a miracle that most of us weren’t killed instantly.
Staff Sergeant Salvatore, “Sal,” Giunta was the first living person to receive the Medal of Honor—the highest honor presented by the U.S. military—since the conclusion of the Vietnam War. In Living with Honor, this hero who maintains he is “just a soldier” tells us the story of the fateful day in Afghanistan that led to his receiving the unique honor. With candor, insight, and humility, Giunta not only recounts the harrowing events leading up to when he and his company fell under siege, but also illustrates the empowering, invaluable lessons he learned.
As a seventeen-year-old teen working at Subway, Giunta was like any other kid trying to figure out which step to take next with his life after graduating from high school. When Giunta walked into the local Army recruiting center in his hometown, he just wanted a free T-shirt. But when he walked out, his curiosity had been piqued and he enlisted in the Army.
Deployed to Afghanistan, Giunta soon learned from the more seasoned soldiers how “different” this war was compared to others that America had fought. Stationed with the 173rd Airborne Brigade near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Korengal Valley— also known as the “Valley of Death”—Giunta and his company were ambushed by Taliban insurgents. Giunta went into action after seeing that his squad leader had fallen. Exposing himself to blistering enemy fire, Giunta charged toward his squad leader and administered first aid while he covered him with his own body. Though Giunta was struck by the relentless barrage of bullets, he engaged the enemy and then attempted to reach additional wounded soldiers. When he realized that yet another soldier was separated from his unit, he advanced forward. Discovering two rebels carrying away a U.S. soldier, Giunta killed one insurgent and wounded the other, and immediately provided aid to the injured soldier. More than just a remarkable memoir by a remarkable person, Living with Honor is a powerful testament to the human spirit and all that one can achieve when faced with seemingly impossible obstacles.
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The President clasps the medal around my neck. Applause fills the room. But I know it’s not for me alone. I look at my mom and dad. I look at Brennan’s parents and I look at Mendoza’s. And I try to communicate to Brennan and Mendoza wordlessly: This is for you . . . and for everyone who has fought and died. For everyone who has made the ultimate sacrifice. I am not a hero. I’m just a soldier.
—Salvatore A. Giunta, from Living with Honor
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
It wasn't 9/11 or love of country, but a free Army t-shirt that sealed the deal for a gung-ho 18-year-old Iowan who embarked on a life-altering deployment to Korengal, the "Valley of Death" and Afghanistan's most perilous region. In October 2007, ambushed by a unit of professional fighters more disciplined and vicious than the solider-farmers they usually fought, Giunta saves two wounded comrades, one of whom was almost abducted by the enemy. Through these actions he became the first living solider since the Vietnam War to receive the Medal of Honor. Giunta displays a grim candor about war: "It's blood, it's gross and it's gruesome; it's always sick and mean." His frank take on the fighting is more than a montage of battlefield gore; 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. He downplays his political views though finds it difficult to absorb the cluelessness American civilians display about war and soldiers' sacrifices. With clarity and maturity, Giunta shows he understands the complexities of contemporary Afghan society and displays a healthy amount of skepticism about the US mission there.
Customer Reviews
Living with Honor
Excellent book! Very well written and informative, much like "Unbroken" is. Filled my heart with pride and gratitude for what our service men and women go through.
Great book
If you don't appreciate the sacrifices made by combat vets you will after reading this book. Definitely one of the best military books I've read.
Tedious
Man I really wanted to like this book; however, after reading half the book, I can't go further. A sheer majority of this book is all personal life stuff. After 250 pages there has only been about 15 pages about actual combat. I'm so bored I find that I'm just skipping pages and paragraphs so that I can find something more riveting. I prefer military books to be almost entirely about combat experience. I don't care where you grew up and what you did in high school. I don't know why authors spend almost half a book talking about things I will never remember by the end of the book.