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FUMA Alumnus Injured in Iraq
SSGT Jonathan Grundy, FUMA Class of 1994, was injured while serving in Iraq on December 11, 2008. A member of the 82nd Airborne Division serving his third tour in Iraq, SSGT Grundy was leading his men on combat patrol in the Diyala River Valley when he was struck in the face by a round from an enemy AK47 rifle.
His father provided the following details:
"The bullet cut across the upper nose and entered the left side of his face. It first shattered the orbital floor below his left eye, then hit the upper left jaw, fracturing it in, I believe, three places. In the latter area, it also cut the facial nerve on that side.
"The good news, as articulated by each surgeon who worked on him, was that the hit was 'a miracle'. Had Jon's head been turned just a half inch differently, he'd have lost his life. As it was, the damage was extensive, but he lived.
"The worst news was only discovered during his second surgery (the ENT surgery to rebuild his face was almost 11 hours, then the second surgery, by the eye team, went 5 hours the following day--all at Walter Reed). Blood in the eye had obscured the extent of the damage, and the eye team only discovered during their surgery that the hydrostatic shock of the round had, essentially, blown a hole in the lower rear of the eye. The eye could be saved as a living, but not a seeing, organ. As you can easily envision, this has heavy professional implications. Jon will never lead troops in the field again, and never jump out of airplanes again. He'll be facing a medical board for retention on active duty. He has some heavy decisions to make.
"The very good news is that his sense of humor is still there, and his determination. Apropos of humor, his first words to me after the wound were: 'Just wanted you to know, Dad, I'm not really trying to compete with Grandpa for Purple Hearts--he got four in WWII, but one's enough for me!'"
CPT James Benson, FUMA's Upper School Chaplain recently took a group of cadets for a visit to Walter Reed Hospital where SSGT Grundy is recovering from his injuries. SSGT Grundy remains in good spirits.
SSGT Grundy has accepted FUMA's invitation to take the review of the Cadet Corps during the full dress parade on Alumni Weekend in May of this year. "Passing in Review" is traditionally one of the highest honors the Corps of Cadets can offer, as the entire battalion marches past the reviewing stand in full dress, turning their heads to the reviewing stand to offer their salute and recognition to those taking the review.
Posted by CPT Dan Thompson, Tuesday, January 15, 2008 10:31 AM
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