Medal of Honor: William D. Swenson, War in Afghanistan, September 8, 2009

The Fight for Ganjgal

On September 8, 2009, in the narrow valley of Ganjgal, Afghanistan, Captain William D. Swenson made the choice every soldier dreads and every hero embraces: he went back into hell. Time and again, under a storm of enemy fire, he led rescue and recovery missions that saved the living and brought home the fallen.

Name: William D. Swenson
War: War in Afghanistan
Date of Action: September 8, 2009

Summary of Action

The ambush at Ganjgal began at dawn. A combined patrol of Afghan Border Police, Afghan National Army, and U.S. advisors had walked into a trap—more than 60 entrenched Taliban fighters waited in the high ground above. Within seconds, the air filled with rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, and machine gun fire. Coalition troops were surrounded on three sides.

Captain William Swenson, embedded as an advisor with Afghan forces, immediately organized a response. Calling for artillery, smoke cover, and aviation support, he tried to shield his troops from the withering fire. He ignored repeated enemy demands to surrender and instead moved forward into the maelstrom.

Swenson administered aid to wounded soldiers even as rounds cracked overhead. At one point, he threw a grenade at enemy troops while still bent over a bleeding comrade, then dragged the man toward evacuation. He exposed himself repeatedly to cover the retreat of others, leading unarmored vehicles into the kill zone.

As the hours dragged on, Swenson refused to relent. He coordinated helicopter evacuation flights, marked enemy positions, and then returned again and again to recover the wounded. Finally, when it became clear that four Americans—three Marines and one Navy corpsman—had fallen, Swenson did not hesitate. He climbed out of his vehicle under fire, located their bodies, and personally ensured their recovery.

Six hours after the first shots, the enemy attack had been broken—but only because Swenson and a few others refused to abandon the field. His actions were later described as the difference between disaster and survival for dozens of men.

Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: 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 Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Kunar Province, Afghanistan on September 8, 2009. 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. As the enemy unleashed a barrage of rocket-propelled grenade, mortar and machine gun fire, Captain Swenson immediately returned fire and coordinated and directed the response of his Afghan Border Police, while simultaneously calling in suppressive artillery fire and aviation support. After the enemy effectively flanked Coalition Forces, Captain Swenson repeatedly called for smoke to cover the withdrawal of the forward elements. 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. Captain Swenson ignored enemy radio transmissions demanding surrender and maneuvered uncovered to render medical aid to a wounded fellow soldier. Captain Swenson stopped administering aid long enough to throw a grenade at approaching enemy forces, before assisting with moving the soldier for air evacuation. 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. 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. Captain Swenson’s team returned to the kill zone another time in a Humvee. Captain Swenson voluntarily exited the vehicle, exposing himself to enemy fire, to locate and recover three fallen Marines and one fallen Navy corpsman. 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. 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.