Cleveland Plain Dealer -- Lance Cpl. Nicholas Erdy, 21, of Owensville, was among six Marines killed on May 11 when an explosive erupted near their armored transport vehicle in Karabilah, Iraq, the U.S. Department of Defense said Monday.

He was a member of a squad that four days earlier fought combatants in the town of Ubaydi. Marine Cpl. Dustin Derga, 24, of Columbus, was one of two men killed in that fight.

The two Ohio men were part of Lima Company, based in Columbus.

Erdy's grandmother, JoAnn Rosselot, received a letter from her grandson on the day the family learned he had been killed.

"He said he'd been out on a mission, he was safe and not to worry too much," Rosselot said.

Derga and Erdy were best friends, said Rosselot. Erdy got engaged in December to his high school sweetheart, who was best friends with Derga's girlfriend.

Erdy once boldly commandeered an enemy front-end loader and then used it to pile up dirt to create a roadblock, Rosselot said.

Erdy's grandmother, JoAnn Rosselot, received a letter from her grandson on the day the family learned he had been killed.

"He said he'd been out on a mission, he was safe and not to worry too much," Rosselot said.

Derga and Erdy were best friends, said Rosselot. Erdy got engaged in December to his high school sweetheart, who was best friends with Derga's girlfriend.

Erdy once boldly commandeered an enemy front-end loader and then used it to pile up dirt to create a roadblock, Rosselot said.

Erdy, who lived east of Cincinnati, played football in high school, drove a classic Ford Mustang and liked to hunt with his father, she said.