Reflections on Leadership: A Public Discussion with Two Recipients of the Medal of Honor
October 17, 2011
CHARLESTON, SC – November 15, 2011 – Two soldiers. Two wars. Both men two generations apart but bound by a singular patriotism and, now, a common bond recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for valor in combat.
Bruce Snake Crandall, flew 22 mission in an unarmed helicopter into enemy fire to transport ammunition and rescue the wounded in the Battle of la Drange in Vietnam.
Sal Giunta charged into the middle of a hailstorm of gunfire to save the lives of men in his squad after coming under attack by Afghan insurgents.
Both men will visit The Citadel on Nov. 15 to discuss their experiences and reflect on the meaning of principled leadership Open to the public, the event will be held at The Citadel’s Holliday Alumni Center, 69 Hagood Ave. across from Johnson Hagood Stadium at 7 p.m. It is free.
This rare evening with such highly decorated former members of our armed forces provides an extraordinary opportunity not only to learn more about the individual conflicts in which they were engaged but also the enduring qualities of effective leadership that span across the different generations of the American experience, said Bo Moore, dean of School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Crandall’s (pictured left) actions 46 years ago while an Army major are featured in the book and movie We Were Soldiers Once…And Young. A veteran Master Army Aviator in both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, he received his Medal of Honor in 2007.
Read more about Crandall by clicking here .
Giunta received the Medal for his actions in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan on Oct. 25, 2007. His service has been profiled on television’s 60 Minutes and in Sebastian Junger’s bestselling book War. He is the first living recipient of the Medal since the Vietnam War. Read more about Giunta by clicking here or watch the CBS News/60 Minutes story here.
The discussion on Nov. 15 will be moderated by Stacy Pearsall. Twice recognized as military photographer of the year, Pearsall received the Bronze Star for her actions under fire in Iraq. She is director of the Charleston Center for Photography and a member of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences Advisory Board.
The event is co-sponsored by the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and The Citadel Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics and made possible by the support of the South Carolina State Guard Foundation and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.
For additional information, please contact the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at 843-953-7477 or send e-mail to cmortti@citadel.edu.
