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November 14, 2010 3:59 PM

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"She Makes Me Who I Am:" Medal of Honor Recipient Sal Giunta and His Wife Jenny

By: Overtime Staff
Topics: Correspondent Candids

It can be one of the most painful parts of producing a "60 Minutes" story: leaving out elements that are really good. Correspondent Lara Logan and her producing team of Max McClellan and Jeff Newton had an embarrassment of riches after assembling their report on Sal Giunta.

Left unused were two compelling interviews: Sal and his wife Jenny, and a tour of the "Room of Honor" at the headquarters of the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vincenza, Italy. Unused, that is, until this week's Correspondent Candid on "60 Minutes Overtime." In this video, hear Lara Logan tell Overtime editor Ann Silvio about Sal and Jenny's emotional moments in Italy.

Watch Lara Logan's full report.

A note from Lara Logan:

Lara Logan and her team, Max McClellan, Jeff Newton, Reuben Heyman-Kantor, Ray Bribiesca, Don Lee and Erik Kerchner, would like to respectfully remember those from Battle Company who died in the Korengal Valley during this deployment.

SGT Joshua Brennan, PFC Juan Restrepo, PFC Timothy Vimoto, SSG Larry Rougle, SFC Matthew Blaskowski, SPC Hugo Mendoza and HM3 Mark Cannon.

To these men, those who served with them and to their families back home.

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by navybrat22 November 19, 2010 2:55 PM EST: Awesome story....I just might start watching again! I remember when I was younger lying on the couch and hearing the ticking of the clock when "60 Minutes" was coming on, and sitting there waiting to see if it would be an interesting story or one I was disinterested in. Way to go CBS, for covering this story and adding the overtime footage as well. Nothing speaks more about our men and women in The United States Armed Forces (yes armed people, to defend the very right to post openly on here, without fear of retaliation by government). To think, this represents one man out of a several countries, that was unselfish and brave enough to keep his fallen brother from being tortured or dying in enemy hands!..For every one man like Staff SGT. Guintas and Sgt. Brennan (R.I.P), there are many more who will do the same to protect with Honor, Courage, and Commitment! HOORAH!..BTW I do find it offensive that Barack addressed Staff Sgt. Guintas by his first name Sal, yes it made it more personal, but when really honoring someone we should use their earned title! But Obama would not know much about that, having never served in Great Armed Forces. Let me also add, let us remember Barack did not "earn" his title, he was elected. I dont think our guys in the military out there keeping it real have the ability of "who you know" to earn your rank!; Reply to this comment


by chiefcsempes November 19, 2010 12:06 PM EST: Amazing story! This brings back a lot of emotions and feelings of pride as a fellow soldier who served with SSG Giunta's unit toward the tail end of that 2007, 2008 deployment. I remember arriving there to Konar province and looking into the eyes of these 173rd airborne soldiers and thinking that these are heroes, these soldiers had experienced more than I could have ever imagined. The tired yet proud and still determined look in their eyes prepared me for what I was about to experience for the next year. I'm not infantry, and although I never experienced anything quite like this story, I was able to experience first hand the resolve of that fierce enemy this brave team fought against that day. I was grateful for those guys up in the hills every day, on foot patrols and living in foxholes, keeping our outposts and convoys safer. The thing of which I am most in awe when I look at SSG Giunta and his generation of warriors, is that they voluntarily join the Army with full knowledge and intention that they will be quickly shipped off to these hellish places to put everything on the line as a sacrifice for the safety and freedom of not only all of you, but for the children and people whom he didn't even know in Afghanistan. For that reason, I don't know if we have ever assembled such a force for freedom in the history of the world. Being a volunteer for this kind of sacrifice is a powerful thing and should not be taken for granted, especially by our leaders. I wish every American could see first hand what these young soldiers do on a daily basis. When SSG Giunta said that he accepted his well-deserved award on behalf of all of those on his left and on his right, he summed up what it means to be an American soldier. I couldn't be more proud to be a part of his Army. Thanks Sal and all of the men and women who are fighting, day after day. I also must thank my wife and children for being my rock, very well said SSG Giunta!

CW3 Joe Csempes; Reply to this comment


by mannheim08 November 18, 2010 7:18 PM EST: sorry for posting it 6 times computer froze up
keep doing awesome stories like this!; Reply to this comment


by mannheim08 November 18, 2010 7:16 PM EST: great story!!!
i enjoyed it
note to the writer/editor
vincenza(2nd paragraph line 2) should be spelled vicenza; Reply to this comment


by mannheim08 November 18, 2010 7:16 PM EST: great story!!!
i enjoyed it
note to the writer/editor
vincenza(2nd paragraph line 2) should be spelled vicenza; Reply to this comment


by mannheim08 November 18, 2010 7:16 PM EST: great story!!!
i enjoyed it
note to the writer/editor
vincenza(2nd paragraph line 2) should be spelled vicenza; Reply to this comment


by mannheim08 November 18, 2010 7:16 PM EST: great story!!!
i enjoyed it
note to the writer/editor
vincenza(2nd paragraph line 2) should be spelled vicenza; Reply to this comment


by mannheim08 November 18, 2010 7:16 PM EST: great story!!!
i enjoyed it
note to the writer/editor
vincenza(2nd paragraph line 2) should be spelled vicenza; Reply to this comment


by mannheim08 November 18, 2010 7:16 PM EST: great story!!!
i enjoyed it
note to the writer/editor
vincenza(2nd paragraph line 2) should be spelled vicenza; Reply to this comment

by gawaja November 17, 2010 10:14 PM EST

When are all you die hard right wing conservatives and hard left wing liberals going to get off you soap boxes and celebrate this man for what he did to allow you all to do the things you do and live the life you live. This honor is not a political thing. IT IS ABOUT THE MAN AND WHAT HE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get over politics and think about what is right for this country. I do not think that S SGT Guinta had either the RNC or DNC on his mind when performing his HEROIC DEEDS!

Reply to this comment


by winger58 November 22, 2010 8:26 PM EST: gawaja: kudos for saying what most of us want to. There are no politics in this story. People who can see this story and think of politics just show themselves to be selfish and small-minded. This is a story about an ordinary soldier who did something extraordinary. "Leave no man behind". Only someone in the military could truly understand the meaning behind that phrase. They are all heroes!

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