Afghanistan Medal of Honor holder William Swenson
will be the Grand Marshall of the Texas Veterans
Parade on Armed Forces Day , Saturday morning May 21 in Corsicana . The parade will honor current and past Military Veterans from all wars and conflicts . This year ’ s parade will be held by the Texas Veterans Parade organization and presented by the Corsicana Rotary Club .
U . S . Army officer William D . Swenson , was awarded the nation ’ s highest honor for of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty Oct . 15 , 2013 . He became one of the youngest members of the United States military to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor . Originally from Seattle Washington , Swenson is one of two to return to active duty after being awarded the Medal of Honor .
In Afghanistan on Sept . 9 , 2009 , then Army Capt . Will Swensen and his combat team were moving on foot into a small village near the Pakistan border when they were ambushed by 60 well-armed and well positioned enemy fighters .
Rocket propelled grenades , machine gun fire , and mortars rained down on them for six hours . It became
36 | Greater Athens Magazine | May 2022