LtCol KEITH M. SWEANEY
Hometown / City: Stafford, VirginiaDate of Death: December, 11, 2000 Branch: U.S.M.C.
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
HM- 187A
LtCol Keith M. Sweaney was born in Charleston, West Virginia and raised in Richmond, Virginia. After attending Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA he commissioned as a 2ndLt in the United States Marine Corps in June 1980 and was designated a Naval Aviator in April 1982. 1stLt Sweaney then proceeded to follow-on training in the CH-53D and attached to his first fleet squadron HMH-362 in Kaneohe Bay, HI. After tours with 2nd Recon as a Forward Air Controller and HMH-362 at Camp Lejeune, NC and MCAS New River, NC respectively, Capt Sweaney deployed with HMH-463 in support of Operation Desert Storm. Upon return from a successful deployment, Capt Sweaney was selected to fly with HMX-1 Presidential Helicopter Squadron and attend Command & Staff College in Quantico, VA. Major Sweaney returned to the fleet after transitioning to the CH-53E and served with HMH-464 of MCAS New River, NC. LtCol Sweaney then joined the Multi-Service Operational Evaluation Team as Director of Testing for the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. He was tragically killed in a test flight on 11 December 2000 when his aircraft crashed into the North Carolina forest. LtCol Sweaney is remembered as a loving son, husband and father, a talented aviator and an exemplary Marine.