More surgery scheduled for Pa. soldier

November 20, 2006|by KATE S. ALEXANDER

MONT ALTO, Pa. - A Mont Alto man who was wounded by a bomb in Iraq last week remains in critical condition at a hospital in Texas and is scheduled for more surgery, his grandfather said.

Edward Shaffer said doctors at a military hospital in San Antonio performed 13 hours of surgery on his grandson, Sgt. Edward W. "Eddie" Shaffer, 24, and removed one of the soldier's hands and one of his feet.

Eddie Shaffer was critically wounded last Monday when a roadside bomb exploded next to his Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The solider sustained burns over about 80 percent of his body and was transported to the United States in critical condition.

Eddie Shaffer had served in Iraq for about eight months, and was wounded before Monday's bombing in Ramadi, a Sunni stronghold about 70 miles west of Baghdad.

Doctors are monitoring the soldier's remaining hand to determine if it needs to be removed, Edward Shaffer said.

Eddie Shaffer is scheduled for more surgery today, but his grandfather said his prognosis is still uncertain.

"He (Eddie) could go one way or the other. He could get worse," Edward Shaffer said.

Edward Shaffer said Sunday evening that he and his wife, Goldie, had not received an update on their grandson's condition and did not know any details on Eddie Shaffer's scheduled surgery.

Eddie Shaffer graduated from Waynesboro Area Senior High School in 2002 and took computer courses at the Thompson Institute before enlisting in the Army in 2003, Edward Shaffer said.

Eddie Shaffer was serving with Third Platoon Co. B. of the 136th Infantry when he was wounded, his grandfather said.

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