Four years after he survived a brutal firefight in a remote Afghanistan valley that claimed the lives of five Americans, retired U.S. Army Capt. William Swenson will be hailed as a hero at the White House on Tuesday.
Swenson, 34, is credited with risking his life to help save his fellow troops and recover their bodies, feats that President Barack Obama will recount when he presents Swenson with the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award for valor.
But for Swenson, the award stands for more than his personal bravery during the seven-hour battle in the Ganjgal Valley, near the Pakistan border, on Sept. 8, 2009. It is also a measure of vindication.