Military officials investigated over ‘lost’ Medal of Honor nomination

Military officials investigated over ‘lost’ Medal of Honor nomination
McClatchy Washington Bureau (MCT)
By Jonathan S. Landay
Published: September 25, 2013

WASHINGTON — A Pentagon investigation into how a Medal of Honor nomination was “lost” — possibly because of an improper effort to kill the award — is focused on its mishandling by members of the chain of command that included retired Army Gen. David Petraeus and other senior U.S. commanders.

The investigation is being conducted by the Directorate for Investigations of Senior Officials, a division of the Defense Department Office of Inspector General that handles cases involving top military and civilian defense officials.

“Specifically, officials within the Directorate for Investigations of Senior Officials are conducting an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the lost recommendation,” the inspector general’s office wrote in a Sept. 3 letter to Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who pressed for the probe.

The review is the latest turn in the convoluted history of the Medal of Honor nomination of former Army Capt. William Swenson, who was recommended for the nation’s highest military decoration for valor for his actions on Sept. 8, 2009, in one of the most extraordinary battles of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The Seattle native is scheduled to receive the medal from President Barack Obama on Oct. 15, nearly four years after he was first nominated and more than a year after his papers reached the White House.
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Army officer refused surrender, saved lives in ambush
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE
USA TODAY
Jim Michaels
September 26, 2013

WASHINGTON — The insurgent ambush was well-planned and executed. About 60 Taliban fighters waited until the Americans and Afghan security forces got within small arms range before opening fire with AK-47s, rocket propelled grenades and machine guns.

The Taliban held the high ground and the Americans and Afghan security forces, including army and border police, were trapped at the end of a narrow valley, facing the enemy on three sides.

An hour into the fight communication with the lead elements was lost. The number of injured was piling up and the enemy was maneuvering against the Afghans and Americans, making it difficult to use artillery without risking friendly casualties.

At one point in the chaos, Capt. William Swenson was coordinating helicopter support, returning fire on the enemy and treating a critically wounded comrade, Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Westbrook. All the while the enemy was drawing closer, close enough, in fact, that an insurgent signaled at the Americans to surrender.

"Outnumbered, flanked and facing enemy capture, Swenson put down his radio and halted his treatment of Westbrook long enough to reply to the enemy's demands for surrender," according to an Army account of Swenson's action. By way of reply he lobbed a grenade at the insurgent.

The fighting lasted for seven hours that September day in 2009 in Afghanistan's Ganjgal valley. For his actions the former Army officer will be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for bravery, from President Obama at the White House on Oct. 15.
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