Medal of Honor

This afternoon, in the East Room of the White House, President Obama presented the Medal of Honor to Staff Sgt. Sal Giunta.

When introducing Giunta, President Obama said, "I like this guy." Giunta laughed and smiled.

President Obama and Staff Sgt. Giunta applaud the men and women of the US Armed Forces.

Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta is the first living veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to receive the Medal of Honor. He is awarded for his bravery on October 25, 2007 in Afghanistan. Giunta ran repeatedly into enemy fire, to rescue fallen soldiers from the hands of the Taliban.

"He crested the hill alone with no cover but dust, being kept by the storm of bullets still flying around, there he saw a chilling site, the silhouettes of two insurgents carrying a wounded American soldier, who happened to be one of Sal's best friends."

"Sal never broke stride, he broke forward he took aim, and he killed one of the insurgents and wounded the other and he ran off," President Obama said, recounting the action during the ceremony.

Obama also said Giunta is as humble as he is heroic. Staff Sgt Giunta says he shares this medal with all of his men, saying they are as much of who he is as he is himself.

Here's the background piece on Staff Sgt. Giunta I put together with CBN News reporter Mark Martin: