Meet Mike

I was hit hard.

I am from the 3rd Brigade 2nd Infantry Division based out of Ft. Lewis, Washington, and was injured on my final mission, just days after receiving my first purple heart.

October 5, 2004 - I was coming back from a patrol when a car bomb went off near my vehicle. I sustained shrapnel to my left forearm and right hip. Our unit was able to return fire and made it safely back to base. Within days, I received my first purple heart, and returned to duty.

October 11, 2004 - Intel told about a possible car bomb on Route Tampa, in Mosul. Five minutes later our patrol saw a truck getting pushed down a hill. By then, it was too late. The truck detonated between the two Strykers, killing the squad leader and injuring several more.

I was hit hard. I was temporarily blinded, had facial wounds and lost my left arm. I did not know at the time that my arm was gone. My unit returned fire and the whole convoy returned to base immediately. I was air-lifted to Germany and then on to WRAMC, where I continue to recover.

Veterans Confront a Taste of Battle
July 3, 2005
By Michael E. Ruane
Washington Post Staff Writer

Click here to read more, published in the Washington Post .