ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti, ðə bjˈʊɹɹoʊ ʌv nˈeɪvəl pˌɜːsənˈɛl, pˈʌblɪʃt ðə lˈɛðɚ bˈaʊnd mˈɛdəl ʌv ˈɑːnɚ: ðə nˈeɪvi, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn dˈæʃ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi nˈaɪn, stˈeɪɾɪŋ swˈiːni hɐdbɪn bˈɔːɹn ɪn mˌɑːntɹɪˈɔːl, kˈænədə bˌʌt ðɪs wʌz kɚɹˈɛktᵻd baɪ ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈaɪv fˈækts ˌɔn fˈaɪl tˈuː vˈɑːljuːm wˈɜːk, mˈɛdəl ʌv ˈɑːnɚ ɹᵻsˈɪpiənts wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti θɹˈiː dˈæʃ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ.
In 1950, the Bureau of Naval Personnel, published the leather bound Medal of Honor: the Navy, 1861-1949, stating Sweeney had been born in Montreal, Canada but this was corrected by the 1995 Facts on File two volume work, Medal of Honor Recipients 1863-1994.