Ladysmith reservist wounded by mortar attack in Afghanistan

A Ladysmith Army soldier wounded by a mortar round in Afghanistan on Sunday was reportedly in “very serious but stable condition” on Tuesday.

SFC Shane A. Sanderson, who was mobilized in January of 2009, was either standing by or working on a building near Bagram when a mortar round landed wounding him and four other soldiers, Command Sergeant Major John Vacho confirmed Tuesday.

He said Sanderson was hit from behind by shrapnel which wounded his legs. One piece was behind a knee cap and required immediate surgery.

“He has called home every day He called his dad several times, called a friend, and has been calling his wife. He’s using the phone and that is a good indication,” said Vacho, who is a family friend and remembers Shane from when he came to Company A, 397th Engineer Company as a private in 1987.

“This is Shane’s second tour. He served one tour in Iraq and got home in December of 2005,” Vacho said.

They were to transport him to Lanstuhl, Germany, where there is an Army hospital. They will assess his condition, do an evaluation , and then he will be transported to a military hospital in the U.S., according to Vacho.

Shane is the son of Vern Sanderson who lives in the Fort McCoy area. His mother, Karen Sanderson lives at Eau Claire.

His wife, Michele, is the daughter of Jim and JoAnn Diamond of Bruce. Family members could not be reached for comment Tuesday.