Post by peterd on Oct 15, 2013 11:44:22 GMT -8
WASHINGTON - A former Army captain whose heroic actions in a deadly Afghan battle were captured on video received the nation's highest military award, the Medal of Honor, from President Barack Obama at the White House Tuesday.
Obama placed the award around the neck of William D. Swenson for his actions in a lengthy battle against the Taliban in the Ganjgal valley near the Pakistan border four years ago, which claimed the lives of five Americans, 10 Afghan army troops and an interpreter.
Obama noted that although the honor has been bestowed nearly 3,500 times in U.S. history, never before had Americans been able to witness of a small part of the bravery that led to it. The video captured from cameras mounted on the helmets of evacuation helicopter pilots showed Swenson delivering a severely wounded soldier to the helicopter and placing a kiss on his head as he placed him inside.
www.military.com/daily-news/2013/10/15/obama-presents-afghan-war-hero-with-medal-of-honor.html?comp=7000023317828&rank=1
Obama placed the award around the neck of William D. Swenson for his actions in a lengthy battle against the Taliban in the Ganjgal valley near the Pakistan border four years ago, which claimed the lives of five Americans, 10 Afghan army troops and an interpreter.
Obama noted that although the honor has been bestowed nearly 3,500 times in U.S. history, never before had Americans been able to witness of a small part of the bravery that led to it. The video captured from cameras mounted on the helmets of evacuation helicopter pilots showed Swenson delivering a severely wounded soldier to the helicopter and placing a kiss on his head as he placed him inside.
www.military.com/daily-news/2013/10/15/obama-presents-afghan-war-hero-with-medal-of-honor.html?comp=7000023317828&rank=1