Wagner's network in Africa faces uncertain future, How one temple feeds 100,000 people a day. William Swenson was been acknowledged as a hell of an American by President Obama (New York Daily News), Former Army captain receives Medal of Honor (Richmond Times-Dispatch), President Obama presents Afghan war vet with Medal of Honor (Times-Picayune), Second Medal of Honor For 2009 Afghan Battle (The New York Times), Army officer with heroic tale wins Medal of Honor (Detroit Free Press), Helmet cam shows Medal of Honor recipient's Compassion (MSNBC.com), Medal of Honor recipient's bravery captured on Video (The Denver Post), Fmr. To them he wrote, and I'm quoting Will now, "We have never met. Two Army officers were eventually reprimanded for being "inadequate and ineffective" and for "contributing directly to the loss of life", following an investigation into the battle. William Swenson: Former soldier to receive Medal of Honor", "Army Captain William D. Swenson Receives Medal of Honor", "5 Things to Know About Medal of Honor Recipient Capt. "As one of his fellow soldiers later said, 'Will did things that nobody else would ever do, and he did it for his guys and for everybody on the ground, to get them out,'" Obama said at Tuesday's White House ceremony. This could be the easy way to make that New Years resolution to shed a few pounds a reality. In video taken from the helmet camera of a medic recently released by the military, Capt Swenson is seen kissing the forehead of Sgt Westbrook, 41, as he is brought into a medical helicopter. Marine Sergeant Dakota Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the same deadly firefight in the Ganjgal Valley in 2009. William Swenson on Sept. 8, 2009 near the village of Ganjgal in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, as he directs MedEvac landing for the evacuation. Swenson Receivers Medal of Honor DC, UNITED STATES 10.16.2013 Video by Staff Sgt. Thanks for subscribing! I look at my fellow Marines, Army, Navy and Air Force, a team that I fought side-by-side with as brothers. First Class Kenneth Westbrook, who had been hit in the throat, onto a helicopter. As a result, Swenson's Medal of Honor nomination was delayed, and the Army launched an investigation into the events of the battle, eventually reprimanded two other Army officers. (Applause.). . A former Army captain whose heroic actions in a deadly Afghan battle were captured on a helmet camera received the nation's highest military award, the Medal of Honor, from President Barack Obama. The new directive, McHugh stated, required Medal of Honor nominations be sent immediately to Army Human Resources Command. Thank you. Every once in a while, there comes a hero whose bravery earns him or her America's highest military award, the Medal of Honor. I'll bet that after watching that video those soldiers would follow him into battle armed only . Hi I'm Swagson. Read about our approach to external linking. Saving Captain Swenson - War on the Rocks Retired Army Captain William Swenson is one of those heroeshe received his Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama Tuesday. Captain Deric Swenson joins Dan Michaels to talk about the crime of "porch pirates." What to watch for, what you can do to protect yourself and more. Will and the Soldiers in the center of the column are pinned down. Captain Swensons team returned to the kill zone another time in a Humvee. Will Swenson, next Medal of Honor recipient (Military Times) Why William Swenson is a hero to all who care about the miltary (inFormation) Why that's a rarity", "Seattle University Grad to Receive Medal of Honor", "US Medal of Honour recipient asks to re-enlist in the army", "Capt. 3. Captain William D. Swenson's extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Task Force Phoenix, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division and the United States Army. On that morning, more than 60 well-armed, well-positioned enemy fighters ambushed Captain Swenson's combat team as it moved on foot into the village of Ganjgal for a meeting with village elders. . Captain William D. Swenson distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as embedded advisor to the Afghan National Border Police, Task Force Phoenix, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan in support of 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Briga. [4] Swenson, Thomas Payne, Matthew O. Williams and Earl Plumlee are the only Medal of Honor recipients still on active duty. "The Battle of Ganjgal was ferocious. But, he says, "by that time it didn't matter. Surrounded on three sides by enemy forces inflicting effective and accurate fire, Captain Swenson coordinated air assets, indirect fire support and medical evacuation helicopter support to allow for the evacuation of the wounded. Almost instantly, four Americans, three Marines, and a Navy corpsman at the front of the column are surrounded. He was caught on camera. He helps carry that wounded Soldier to the helicopter, and places him inside. Twice, they pick up injured Afghan soldiers -- bullets whizzing past them, slamming into the pickup truck. But his initial requests are denied -- Will and his team are too close to the village. She still remembers the first time she spoke to Will, when he called from Afghanistan, to check in on Kenneth. To the families of those we've lost, we will never forget. Four other Americans, 10 Afghan army troops and an interpreter were killed during the battle in September 2009. What losses did Russia suffer in the Wagner revolt? Your first Video of the Day email will arrive in less than 24 hours. [30] In May 2014, the Department of Defense reported that based on an investigation, Swenson's Medal of Honor recommendation was lost in the Army's email system. [21] Finally, Swenson and a small contingent recovered the four fallen U.S. servicemen who had been discovered by a search and rescue aircraft at noon. Amid the turmoil, Swenson ran back into enemy fire repeatedly to rescue and evacuate both injured Americans and Afghan soldiers. Send it directly to us: Email us: newsdesk@wjla.comCall the Newsroom: 703.236.9480WJLA is the local ABC affiliate for the greater Washington DC area. It represents us.". When they reach the village, Will jumps out -- drawing even more fire, dodging even more bullets. After being trapped by an attack as they approached the village, he ran across 50m (164ft) of open space to a wounded Sgt Kenneth Westbrook, pressing a bandage against the wounded man's chest wound with one hand and throwing a grenade with another before bringing him to a medical helicopter. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. So, Will Swenson was there for his brothers. The video was captured by two different MedEvac crew members and shows each crew member's perspective of events spanning the same time period.This video is courtesy of Mrs. Charlene Westbrook. Captain Swenson stopped administering aid long enough to throw a grenade at approaching enemy forces, before assisting with moving the soldier for air evacuation. If you like to watch Funny, Cool, and Interesting Videos. President Barack Obama has awarded the highest US military honour to a survivor of an Afghan battle. ][32], Following the Medal of Honor presentation at the White House, on October 16, 2013, Swenson was inducted into the Pentagon Hall of Heroes. Surrounded on three sides by enemy forces inflicting effective and accurate fire, Captain Swenson coordinated air assets, indirect fire support and medical evacuation helicopter support to allow for the evacuation of the wounded. He was first nominated on 18 December 2009, but the US commander in Afghanistan had to resubmit Capt Swenson's application in July 2011, according to McClatchy newspapers. Captain Swenson voluntarily exited the vehicle, exposing himself to enemy fire, to locate and recover three fallen Marines and one fallen Navy corpsman. Capt Swenson was serving in Afghanistan as a trainer and mentor embedded with the Afghan National Security Forces in Kunar province when he was among US and Afghan soldiers walking through the valley on the way to meeting with village elders. That's why after I called Will to tell him he'd be receiving this medal, one of the first things he did was to invite to this ceremony, those who fought alongside him. With complete disregard for his own safety, Captain Swenson unhesitatingly led a team in an unarmored vehicle into the kill zone, exposing himself to enemy fire on at least two occasions, to recover the wounded and search for four missing comrades. William D. Swenson (born November 2, 1978) is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor in a ceremony on October 15, 2013. And we were inspired by those who fought there, by those who would not accept defeat.". God bless the United States of America. But they reach those Americans, lying where they fell. I will never accept defeat. [33] During the ceremony, Hagel apologized to Swenson for the mishandling of his award nomination, which had been delayed for 19 months because of what officials called a bureaucratic oversight. VideoThe endangered languages that are fighting back, When Miss World in India threatened 'cultural apocalypse', Belarus leader welcomes Wagner boss into exile. 5. Capt Swenson was serving in Afghanistan as a trainer and mentor embedded with the Afghan National Security Forces in Kunar province when he was among US and Afghan soldiers walking through the valley on the way to meeting with village elders. Today is only the second time in nearly half a century that the Medal of Honor has been awarded to two survivors of the same battle. I make videos. A 2200-ton SUMNER class destroyer, the SWENSON had a length of 376 feet and . He recognized the importance of assessing performance, and had the character to stick to his convictions."[33]. Ceremony for U.S. Army Captain Will Swenson (Blackfive), 10th Mountain Division soldier to receive Medal of Honor today (Watertown Daily Times), Medal of Honor winner: jobless and struggling with horrors of war (Christian Science Monitor), Obama's day: A medal ceremony, a Senate deal (USA Today), For Medal of Honor recipient, award is a long time Coming (CNN Newsource), Seattle man set to get Medal of Honor after discord, delays (Seattle Times), Medal of Honor will be given in controversy (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review), Fort Drum commander talks Army reductions, shutdown, deployments, soldier heroism Wednesday (Watertown Daily Times), VIDEO: Pritzker Military Presents - Medal of Honor recipient Will Swenson (Pritzker Military Library), Hagel apologizes for delay in Medal of Honor award (Boston Herald), Medal inquiry focuses on chain of command (Fayetteville Observer), Former Army Capt. From our studios in Arlington, VA ABC7 covers national and local news, sports, and weather.#WJLA #abc7news #DCNews William Swenson", "On Leadership With William Swenson, the army gained a Medal of Honor but lost a leader", "Afghan war vet awarded Medal of Honor, seeks to return to active duty", "Medal of Honor recipient returns to active duty", "CIA job interview leads to criminal investigation of Green Beret", "Former Green Beret major faces murder charge for 2010 Afghanistan incident", "Graduating NSA Student, MAJ William Swenson, Is Medal of Honor Recipient", "National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation gets another medal recipient on board", "Official Narrative / Captain William D. Swenson", "Raw Video: Battlefield Actions of Former Army Cpt. Capt. John M. McHugh, secretary of the Army | Read More. Video; World; US & Canada; UK; Business; Tech; Science; More. I will never accept defeat. After being trapped by an attack as they approached the village, he ran across 50m (164ft) of open space to a wounded Sgt Kenneth Westbrook, pressing a bandage against the wounded man's chest wound with one hand and throwing a grenade with another before bringing him to a medical helicopter. After Capt Swenson put Sgt Westbrook on the airlift, he returned to the battle, driving vehicles multiple times across the firefight to recover soldiers. It's from the combat . [31] In February 2015, it was revealed that in the period prior to Swenson receiving the Medal of Honor in 2013, the Criminal Investigation Command began an investigation of Swenson due to comments made on Amazon.com by Major Mathew Golsteyn in 2011.[why? [29] Dakota Meyer strongly advocated for Swenson's Medal of Honor in his book, Into the Fire: A Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War, writing that if it were not for Swenson, he (Meyer) would not be alive today. He has requested to return to active duty, rare for a Medal of Honor recipient, and his request is being reviewed, Army spokesman George Wright said. So, I would ask the members of this team, the families of First Lieutenant Michael Johnson, Gunnery Sergeant Edwin Johnson, Gunnery Sergeant Aaron Kenefick, and Hospitalman Third Class James Layton, as well as the family of Kenneth Westbrook, to please stand. Jonathan Landay, a reporter embedded with US troops at the time of the firefight, speaks to the BBC about the actions of Captain Swenson (above left). [21], According to the United States Army's detailed Official Narrative, the coalition force's 106-man column entered the valley and was ambushed at about 6 a.m. by as many as 60 insurgent fighters who soon surrounded the column on three sides, situated on terraced high ground. Exposed once more. US Army Captain William Swenson awarded Medal of Honor - BBC - Homepage . Army spied on Will Swenson, Medal of Honor recipient, over Amazon book Westbrook, a married father of three, later died from his wounds. 2023 BBC. [3] He was the sixth living recipient in the War on Terror. 0:00 / 4:31 Captain Will Swenson Medal of Honor MEDEVAC (RAW Combat Footage) Audie Murphy American Legend 33.2K subscribers Subscribe 120 Share Save 29K views 9 years ago Just declassified is. Medal of Honor recipient William Swenson braved gunfire to get bodies | CNN Captain William D. Swenson - Medal of Honor - Operation Enduring Freedom, http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/10/15/president-obama-awards-medal-honor-captain-william-swenson. External News for Captain William D. Swenson - Medal of Honor Recipient Read about our approach to external linking. They were part of a team, and you are now part of that team.". Capt Swenson has been unemployed since leaving the military in 2011 and now lives in Seattle, Washington. Americans like Will remind us of what our country can be at its best," Obama said Tuesday. After the enemy effectively flanked Coalition Forces, Captain Swenson repeatedly called for smoke to cover the withdrawal of the forward elements. Dakota Meyer, earned a Medal of Honor in 2011. But this may be the first time that we can actually bear witness to a small part of those actions for ourselves. And as the door closes and the helicopter takes off, he turns and goes back the way he came, back into the heat of battle. 2. After using aviation support to mark locations of fallen and wounded comrades, it became clear that ground recovery of the fallen was required due to heavy enemy fire on helicopter landing zones. It's from the combat helmet cameras of a MedEvac helicopter crew in Afghanistan. The president recounted one particularly touching moment from the video: "Amidst the whipping wind and the deafening roar of the helicopter blades, he does something unexpected. [21] Swenson's actions are believed to have directly contributed to saving more than a dozen Afghan lives.[21]. The endangered languages that are fighting back. [20], On September 8, 2009, Swenson was part of an operation to connect the Afghan government with native elders in the Ganjgal Valley in Eastern Kunar Province in Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border. Even after the battle, Will was not afraid to point out deficiencies in the operation that caused difficulties in obtaining the appropriate and timely support necessary. Captain Swenson will receive the Medal of Honor at the White House on October 15th, 2013 for his bravery in Afghanistan. . A column of Afghan soldiers and their American advisors are winding their way up a narrow trail towards a village to meet with elders. A former Army captain whose heroic actions in a deadly Afghan battle were captured on a helmet camera received the nation's highest military award, the Medal of Honor, from President Barack Obama at the White House Tuesday. 2023 BBC. The William Tell Overture performed on empty beer bottles in this entertaining music video. He started rehab, and spent time with his wife Charlene, who joins us her today. 2023 Big Geek Dad. But like all great leaders, he was also a servant to the men he commanded, to the more than a dozen Afghans and Americans whose lives he saved, to the families of those who gave their last full measure of devotion on that faraway field, Obama said. And we lost so many good lives that day. Captain Swenson will receive the Medal of Honor at the White House on October 15th, 2013 for his bravery in Afghanistan. Marine Sergeant Dakota Meyer was awarded the Medal. [19] Swenson was promoted to lieutenant colonel on October 31, 2019. Sam the Dog demonstrates that she has mastered the art of dramatic acting as she goes all out to get. Living Recipients | Medal of Honor Convention A heartwarming video of "Officer Oliver" whose duty is to bring love and beauty into peoples' lives. October 14, 2013 at 8:40 AM At a stately White House ceremony on Tuesday, President Barack Obama will extol former Army Capt. After the enemy effectively flanked Coalition Forces, Captain Swenson repeatedly called for smoke to cover the withdrawal of the forward elements. Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. Helmet camera captured new Medal of Honor recipient's actions - WTKR Will stops treating Kenneth long enough to respond -- by lobbing a grenade. I wanted to convey to him that I was proud of him and that his fight was over," Swenson said of kissing Westbrook goodbye. Big Geek Daddy - Funny, Cool, and Interesting Videos. We are almost at 1,000 subscribers so let's make that happen Kid Friendly / Family . [10] Swenson's case was reopened in 2011 at the urging of Marine Corps General John R. This video depicts the battlefield actions of Cpt. He has requested to return to active duty, rare for a Medal of Honor recipient, and his request is being reviewed, Army spokesman George Wright said. Find out five more key facts about the courageous veteran, below. His exceptional leadership and stout resistance against the enemy during six hours of continuous fighting rallied his teammates and effectively disrupted the enemy's assault. It's from the combat helmet cameras of a MedEvac helicopter crew in Afghanistan. William D. Swenson - Wikipedia Swenson awarded Medal of Honor (CNN.com), You never allow a service member taken hostage' (MSNBC.com), Obama: Medal of Honor a reminder of 'what our country can be at its best' (Politico), Soldier in Afghan Battle Receives Medal of Honor (The New York Times), Army veteran William Swenson receives Medal of Honor (CBSNews.com), Army soldier Swenson hailed as what our country can be' at Medal of Honor ceremony (TribLIVE), Medal of Honor recipient braved gunfire to retrieve bodies of the fallen (CNN), Obama to present Medal of Honor to Swenson Today (Army Times), Medal of Honor Swenson (NBC: Nightly News), President Obama awards 2nd Medal of Honor for same Afghan battle (UPI.com), Obama Awards Medal Of Honor To Afghan War Vet (NPR), Video: Medal of Honor recipient: "Incredible" to relive moment of humanity (CBSNews.com), Medal of Honor: The Gamification of a Controversial American Hero (Foreign Policy Online), Video: President Awards Former Army CPT Swenson the MOH (Small Wars Journal Blog), Video: M.O.H.
