New York Post -- August 10, 2007 -- A decorated New York infantryman who was never able to hold his newborn daughter was killed when a hidden bomb exploded in a house he was searching in the Iraqi city of Baqouba, the military said yesterday.

Cpl. Juan Alcantara, 22, of Washington Heights, was one of four soldiers who died in the blast Monday. Spc. Kareem Khan, 20, of Manahawkin, N.J., was also killed.

Alcantara was supposed to return home on June 28, but his tour of duty was extended four months, said his mother, Maria, choking back tears.

As a result, he was never able to cradle his daughter, Jaylani Marie, born six weeks ago.

Alcantara, based at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Wash., signed up for the Army out of high school.

"He wanted to be a soldier since he was a boy," said his mother, who added that her son planned to join the NYPD like his sister, Cathy, when his military service was over. Cathy is assigned to the 32nd Precinct in Harlem.

"He was a nice, quiet child," his grieving mom said. "He used to like to play basketball and football. He was never in trouble. He never did anything wrong."

Alcantara, part of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division that had spent 14 months in Iraq, was taking part in a 7-week- old offensive to clear al Qaeda insurgents from their stronghold in Diyala province, north of Baghdad.

He and the three other soldiers were checking for explosives rigged in abandoned houses when the bomb went off, the military said.

Alcantara, posthumously promoted to corporal from specialist, had received five commendations for his military service.