Dakota L. Meyer’s Ganjgal rescue earned the Medal of Honor

Dec 05 , 2025

Dakota L. Meyer’s Ganjgal rescue earned the Medal of Honor

Bullets screamed like thunder all around me. Wounded men cried out in the valley near Ganjgal, Afghanistan. Every inch forward meant death—but retreat meant abandoning my brothers. I saw their faces. I saw their pain. And I chose to fight through hell to pull them from the fire.

Background & Faith

Dakota L. Meyer grew up in Columbia, Kentucky—rural hard land where a man’s word and honor measured his worth. A boy raised by godly parents, raised on stories of sacrifice, scripture, and service. Meyer carried faith not just as a shield, but as a burden and a compass. He once said of his service, “My faith gave me the strength to do what I did. Without it, I wouldn’t have even tried.”

A Marine turned Army Ranger, Meyer embodied the warrior’s code—leave no man behind. Deep in his bone marrow, he knew the battlefield was a crucible that tested more than steel or fire—it tested the soul.

The Battle That Defined Him

September 8, 2009. Kunar Province. Four-man US special operations team inserted quietly near the village of Ganjgal. Orders were clear—connect with Afghan allies and conduct a routine meeting.

But the Taliban was waiting.

An ambush erupted. Mortars pounding, machine guns baking the earth with fire. The team was pinned, exposed, overrun. Several Americans wounded. Afghan allies scattered or dead. Communications cut.

Meyer's training screamed “stay under cover.” But he didn’t hear that voice. He heard a clearer one: the blood of brothers calls out. He ran into the maelstrom—three times. Exposed every time to direct enemy fire.

He saved at least 13 men—pulling them one by one through bullet-scarred dirt and smoke-choked air.

“He cared about his guys. He didn’t leave anybody out there.” — 1st Lt. Jonathan Kirk

A hand grenade exploded near him during the rescue, shattering his cheek and jaw. Bleeding, broken, but unyielding. He refused medevac until the last man was safe.

Recognition

For his actions, Dakota L. Meyer received the Medal of Honor on September 15, 2011. The citation called his deeds “above and beyond the call of duty,” highlighting his incredible courage under relentless enemy fire.

“Dakota Meyer’s valor and selflessness saved many lives. His bravery inspires us all.” — General John F. Campbell

He remains the first living Medal of Honor recipient from the war in Afghanistan. The highest praise granted, met with a humility that cuts through the noise of glory.

Behind the medals, Meyer is a storyteller and healer—bearing the scars, the weight, and the faith that revived him.

Legacy & Lessons

Meyer’s story is not just about bullets and battlefields. It is about the raw cost of war. The grinding heartbeat of sacrifice. The scarred redemption found only when a man chooses courage over comfort.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

His life echoes that scripture. Not all warriors die on the field—some drag others from the jaws of death, becoming living testaments to brotherhood and faith under fire.

Dakota L. Meyer’s legacy burns like a beacon in the dark—a call to honor every combat veteran’s sacrifice. The courage to stand and fight for your brothers—that alone is salvation in war and peace.