President Obama’s remarks awarding the Medal of Honor to Staff Sgt. Salvatore A. Giunta

and the official citation, as provided by the White House

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody. Please be seated. On behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House. Thank you, Chaplain Carver, for that beautiful invocation.
 
Of all the privileges that come with serving as President of the United States, I have none greater than serving as Commander-in-Chief of the finest military that the world has ever known. And of all the military decorations that a President and a nation can bestow, there is none higher than the Medal of Honor.
 
Today is particularly special. Since the end of the Vietnam War, the Medal of Honor has been awarded nine times for conspicuous gallantry in an ongoing or recent conflict. Sadly, our….

…nation has been unable to present this decoration to the recipients themselves, because each gave his life — his last full measure of devotion — for our country. Indeed, as President, I have presented the Medal of Honor three times — and each time to the families of a fallen hero.
 
Today, therefore, marks the first time in nearly 40 years that the recipient of the Medal of Honor for an ongoing conflict has been able to come to the White House and accept this recognition in person. It is my privilege to present our nation’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, to a soldier as humble as he is heroic: Staff Sergeant Salvatore A. Giunta.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/11/salvatore-giunta-medal-of-honor.html