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McSweeny made choice to fight for USA
A little more than 15 months ago, Ryan McSweeny was enjoying the comparative innocence of playing high school baseball, patrolling centerfield and batting second in the lineup for the Marion Indians.
It was June 17, 2010, when McSweeny played his last game in a doubleheader at Waterloo Columbus. The Indians swept the twinbill by scores of 3-2 and 19-12 and McSweeny knocked in two runs in the nightcap.
A few days later, he was off to basic training in the Marine Corps, a commitment he had made the previous March.
“My dad’s friend was in World War II and he had told me stories about being in the Marines,’’ McSweeny said. “That’s what I wanted to do.’’
McSweeny was deployed to Afghanistan last spring as an infantryman. In May, his unit was hit by a dust storm and hurriedly tried to complete their day’s mission.
An improvised explosive device (IED) went off and injured many in the company. McSweeny suffered severe injuries to his left side, especially his leg and arm. He has undergone 15 surgeries to repair his leg and remove shrapnel.
Lance Corporal McSweeny is home on a 30-day leave. He attends rehabilitation four days a week for 1 to 2 hours per day.
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