TFH 9/8: The Battle of Ganjgal - 1 Medal of Honor, 2 Navy Crosses...and unfinished business

Three years ago today on September 8, 2009, a United States Army/United States Marine Corps Embedded Training Team working with the Afghan Army and National Police led their trainee forces into Ganjgal, Afghanistan.

The task force was ambushed. They had been promised artillery support, but changes to the rules of engagement meant that commanders at fire support bases were hesitant to authorize fire missions. They had also been told that no air support would be available. They were on their own.

That day, four American warriors stood tall against our enemies. One Marine, Corporal Dakota L. Meyer, received the Medal of Honor for his valor. Two other Marines, both immigrants to our Nation, received the Navy Cross. Here are their stories:

Medal of Honor Citation for Corporal Dakota L. Meyer:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Corporal Dakota L. Meyer, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Marine Embedded Training Team 2-8, Regional Corps Advisory Command 3-7, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on 8 September 2009. Corporal Meyer maintained security at a patrol rally point while other members of his team moved on foot with two platoons of Afghan National Army and Border Police into the village of Ganjgal for a pre-dawn meeting with village elders. Moving into the village, the patrol was ambushed by more than 50 enemy fighters firing rocket propelled grenades, mortars, and machine guns from houses and fortified positions on the slopes above. Hearing over the radio that four U.S. team members were cut off, Corporal Meyer seized the initiative. With a fellow Marine driving, Corporal Meyer took the exposed gunner's position in a gun-truck as they drove down the steeply terraced terrain in a daring attempt to disrupt the enemy attack and locate the trapped U.S. team. Disregarding intense enemy fire now concentrated on their lone vehicle, Corporal Meyer killed a number of enemy fighters with the mounted machine guns and his rifle, some at near point blank range, as he and his driver made three solo trips into the ambush area. During the first two trips, he and his driver evacuated two dozen Afghan soldiers, many of whom were wounded. When one machine gun became inoperable, he directed a return to the rally point to switch to another gun-truck for a third trip into the ambush area where his accurate fire directly supported the remaining U.S. personnel and Afghan soldiers fighting their way out of the ambush. Despite a shrapnel wound to his arm, Corporal Meyer made two more trips into the ambush area in a third gun-truck accompanied by four other Afghan vehicles to recover more wounded Afghan soldiers and search for the missing U.S. team members. Still under heavy enemy fire, he dismounted the vehicle on the fifth trip and moved on foot to locate and recover the bodies of his team members. Corporal Meyer's daring initiative and bold fighting spirit throughout the 6-hour battle significantly disrupted the enemy's attack and inspired the members of the combined force to fight on. His unwavering courage and steadfast devotion to his U.S. and Afghan comrades in the face of almost certain death reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

He received his Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama at the White House on September 15, 2011.

I am incredibly honored to have Dakota Meyer among my followers on Twitter. I was completely floored when I received his follow-back on March 22, 2012. Meyer left the active Marine Corps in 2010 as a Sergeant. He has written a book (with Bing West) about his experiences that will be released later this month: Into the Fire: A Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War. I have it pre-ordered, and can't wait to read it. Hopefully one day I'll get to meet him and get him to sign it.

Navy Cross Citation for First Lieutenant Ademola D. Fabayo:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First Lieutenant Ademola D. Fabayo, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy as a member of Marine Embedded Training Team 2-8, Regional Corps Advisory Command 3-7, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on 8 September 2009 in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. First Lieutenant Fabayo and other members of his team led two platoons of Afghan National Security Forces into Ganjgal Village for a pre-dawn meeting with village elders when the dismounted patrol was ambushed by roughly 50 enemy fighters in fortified positions. With four fellow team members cut off, he pushed forward on foot into the kill zone in an attempt to regain contact, effectively engaging the enemy at close range with his M-4 rifle. When a U.S. Army Advisor was severely wounded, he moved from a covered position under heavy fire to assist in his recovery, helping carry him across several hundred meters of fire-swept ground. He drove back into the kill zone with another U.S. Army Advisor in an unarmored truck, despite enemy rounds impacting the vehicle, in an attempt to reach the separated team members. After treating and evacuating several wounded Afghan Forces, he took the gunner's position on a gun-truck with three other U.S. personnel as they again drove into the kill zone to recover the bodies of the four fallen team members, providing effective suppressive fires with the vehicle mounted machine guns. By his decisive actions, bold initiative, and complete dedication to duty, First Lieutenant Fabayo reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Navy Cross Citation for Staff Sergeant Juan J. Rodriguez-Chavez:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Staff Sergeant Juan J. Rodriguez-Chavez, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy as a member of Marine Embedded Training Team 2-8, Regional Corps Advisory Command 3-7, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on 8 September 2009 in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Assigned to the security element while other members of his team led two platoons of Afghan National Security Forces into Ganjgal Village for a pre-dawn meeting with village elders. Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez heard over the radio that the dismounted patrol was ambushed by roughly fifty enemy fighters in fortified positions. With four members of his team in immediate danger of being surrounded, he drove a gun-truck, with one other Marine as his gunner, forward into the kill zone of a well prepared ambush. With only the machine gun fires of his gunner to suppress the enemy, he ignored heavy enemy fires and drove the vehicle into the kill zone three times to cover the withdrawal of the combined force and evacuate two dozen members of the Afghan National Security Forces. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he made a fourth trip into the deepest point of the kill zone in another gun-truck with three other U.S. personnel to recover the bodies of the fallen team members. He positioned his vehicle to shield the U.S. members from the intense enemy fire as they dismounted to recover their bodies. By his decisive actions, bold initiative, and selfless dedication to duty, Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Both Lieutenant Fabayo and Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez received their Navy Crosses from Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia on June 10, 2011. At the time, Fabayo had also received a promotion to Captain. I'm uncertain as to what either of these two brave Marines are doing today.

Five Americans and eight of our Afghan allies lost their lives in the battle.

As I noted above, there was a fourth man who distinguished himself by courage that day: Army Captain William Swenson. Captain Swenson repeatedly put himself at risk during the ambush response as he helped the others rescue the wounded as he repeatedly pleaded for fire support and reinforcements over the radio. Dakota Meyer credits Swenson with saving his life. After the battle, Swenson was very vocal in his criticism of the chain of command.

It turns out his criticism was justified, although the subsequent investigation only laid blame just to the battalion headquarters to whom the Embedded Training Team reported. Two officers were formally reprimanded.

Captain Swenson is yet to be decorated for his heroism. He has been re-nominated for the Medal of Honor - an earlier recommendation having been "lost" (more likely trashed because of his criticism of senior commanders). The Department of Defense does not comment on pending awards, but reports are  that Swenson's Medal of Honor recommendation is sitting on Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta's desk.

Let us hope that now, three years on, Will Swenson soon gets the recognition he deserves.

One final word. In his upcoming memoir, Dakota Meyer reveals that before seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder he attempted suicide in 2010, about one year after the Battle of Ganjgal. Never forget that the brave men and women of the warrior class for whom we all owe so very much may never mentally leave the battlefields upon which they have fought. The suicide rate among our active duty fighters and veterans is appalling. We should all support them with our love, admiration, and prayers, and if you are able to do so, I would encourage that you donate to one or more of the following:

The American Legion's Operation Comfort Warriors
Disabled American Veterans
Veterans of Foreign Wars

Many of our living Medal of Honor recipients have spoken out on the ongoing mental health needs of our returned warriors. Their message to the rest of our heroes and heroines: Don't let the enemy you defeated in battle beat you at home.



Amen.