On October 25, 2007, U.S. Army Specialist Salvatore Giunta and his platoon were on a nighttime mission in northeastern Afghanistan. Suddenly, Taliban fighters ambushed the Americans, and bullets were flying everywhere. Several of Specialist Giunta's fellow soldiers were struck by fire and seriously wounded. Without hesitation, Specialist Giunta ran toward the wall of enemy fire so he could help bring the wounded soldiers to safety. Despite being shot twice in the chest, Specialist Giunta still managed to pull his fellow soldiers back to safety. The body armor he was wearing saved his own life. For this incredible act of courage, Specialist Giunta became the first living soldier who served in Afghanistan to receive the Medal of Honor. This is just one of the many acts of courage recounted in this riveting look at our nation's military heroes. Written in a narrative format, Today's Army Heroes will keep kids turning the pages as they read about individual soldiers who've shown uncommon courage in the face of terrible danger in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Large action photos, fact boxes, and maps enrich these true stories of bravery and valor.

Fifteen recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor recount the deeds that brought them the prestigious award.

"The story of women serving in the United States military begins before the founding of the country. Though early laws prohibited women from becoming soldiers, they still found ways to serve, even disguising themselves as men in order to participate in active battle. Women Heroes of the US Army chronicles the critical role women have played in strengthening the US Army from the birth of the nation to today. These smart, brave, and determined women led the way for their sisters to enter, grow and prosper in the forces defending the United States. Through the profiles highlighting the achievements of these trailblazers throughout history, young women today can envision an equitable future"--

Describes acts of bravery and heroism performed by Army personnel in the current wars of the U.S.

A boy asks his father for help after his teacher asks each of her pupils to name a veteran whom he or she knows. The boy soon discovers that many of the familiar people who work in his neighborhood are heroes who have served in the country's military.

Virgil Fernandez was born in Port La Vaca, Texas in 1951. He and his family then moved to San Antonio when he was in high school. After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1969, he joined the U.S. Navy and served aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Saratoga until 1971. He then enrolled in San Antonio College and received an associate's degree in Radio Broadcasting in 1973. Virgil then transferred to the University of Texas at Austin and earned a bachelor's degree in government in 1975. Following college, Virgil worked as a news reporter and photographer/editor for radio and TV stations in Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Dallas. In 1985 he decided to return to San Antonio and in 1987 began working for the Texas Employment Commission as an Interviewer. Being a disabled veteran himself, he was selected to be a Disabled Veteran's Outreach counselor. Virgil specialized in job placement and also taught job search workshops for three years. Virgil's interest in veteran's issues remained after leaving the Commission in 1996, and he published his first book, The Complete Veterans' Benefits Manual, in 2000. He then returned to the University of Texas and completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Relations in 2001. Virgil then went to work for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as an Information Specialist, specializing in media relations and web and text publishing. However, his interest in Hispanic issues, history, and veterans remained throughout the years. He finally decided to combine them and began researching articles relating to Hispanics and the roles they have played in the U.S. military. Several years later, the result was this book, Hispanic Military Heroes. Book jacket.

Valor features the thrilling stories that are the fruit of Mark Lee Greenblatt’s interviews with brave American servicemen from twenty-first-century wars. These soldiers, sailors, and Marines have risked their lives several times over for their country as well as for their fellow troops and civilians. Still, until now, their stories have largely gone unnoticed by the public, perhaps lost in the frenzied and often nasty debate surrounding those conflicts. As the author writes, “This generation does not have an Audie Murphy. I set out to change that with this book.” Detailing incredible and evocative feats—including an Army pilot who rescued two fellow pilots from a deadly crash in hostile territory and strapped himself to the helicopter’s exterior for the flight to the hospital—Greenblatt provides glimpses into the minds of these men as they face gut-wrenching decisions and overcome enormous odds. However, this book is much more than tales of riveting action. Each chapter goes beyond linear combat stories to explore each hero’s motivations, dreams, and the genuine emotions that were evoked in the face of extreme danger. Readers will be transported to a variety of settings—from close-quarters urban fighting in Iraq to mountainside ambushes in rural Afghanistan to a midnight rescue in the middle of the Atlantic—as they accompany the men who do not see themselves as heroes but as patriots in the line of duty.