Sgt. 1st Class Clarence Douglas McSwain

McSwain, 31, of Meridian, died June 8, 2006 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his convoy vehicle during combat operations. McSwain is the seventh serviceman from East Central Mississippi to be killed in Iraq.

McSwain and his wife, Kendrah, were stationed at Ft. Campbell, Ky. - where he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

This was McSwain’s fifth overseas deployment in his 12-year military career.

He was a 1993 graduate of Meridian High School, where he played football and was an honor student. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a major in English.

McSwain was the son of Theodis and Sandra McSwain of Meridian. He also is survived by his siblings David McSwain, Ashley McSwain, Kimberly McSwain and Christopher McSwain. McSwain’s father, Theodis, is a minister at Gilfield Baptist Church in Pushmataha, Ala. He is survived by his wife and three children, four siblings and his parents.