Marine infantryman shot by sniper in Iraq (Michael Delancey)

Lance Cpl. Michael A. Delancey and his sister, Megan, 17

PINELLAS PARK – A U.S. Marine infantryman who grew up in Pinellas Park was shot and critically wounded by a sniper in Iraq while on foot patrol on Sept. 1.

Lance Cpl. Michael A. Delancey, 21, a 2003 graduate of Pinellas Park High School, suffered a single gunshot wound to the back while tracking enemy insurgents, a family spokeswoman said.

He is attached to the 33rd India Company based in Keneohe Bay, Hawaii.

The sniper’s bullet penetrated his lung and came to rest in his neck, causing severe nerve damage that left him partially paralyzed.

It was not immediately known if the paralysis is permanent.

Delancey was airlifted from Iraq to a hospital in Germany, where he underwent nine hours of surgery on two collapsed lungs, a fractured vertebrate and other injuries.

Doctors at first feared that his spinal cord was severed.

During a second operation on Sept. 4 portions of both lungs were removed.

Karen Rome of Gramercy, La., the family’s spokesperson and long-time friend of the Delancey family, said the young Marine is listed as in critical condition.

Read the rest at the Pinellas Park Beacon

Note: Due to problems with blogger we were unable to post news of the wounded for the last 10 days. This post is part of the update from that period.