Asian Journal -- LOS ANGELES -- Army Staff Sgt. Greg P. Gagarin, 38 years old, of Los Angeles, California is the newest Filipino American casualty of the Iraq war.

The US Department of Defense in a news release dated June 6 stated: "The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died June 3 in Thania, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash."

Killed with Gagarin were Sgt. James C. Akin, 23, of Albuquerque, N.M., Sgt. Tyler J. Kritz, 21, of Eagle River, Wis., and Sgt. Robert A. Surber, 24, of Inverness, Fla.

Gagarin served in the US military for close to 20 years. Previous to his second tour of Iraq, he previously served in South Korea.

Mel and Aileen Gagarin, Greg’s brother and sister who are based here in L.A., confirmed their brother’s death. Aileen said that her brother will be buried in Ilocos Sur in the Philippines on June 19, where his grandparents are also buried. Greg was born in Ilocos Sur on January 4,1970. Greg’s wife and his two children, a boy and a girl, are based in Manila.

"My brother was a good person. He had a kind heart. He loved his family. He never said anything bad about anyone. Every chance he got, he went back to the Philippines. He planned to retire there," Aileen said in a phone interview with the Asian Journal, before boarding their plane for the Philippines.

Greg’s older brother Gerry was the one who received news of his death. Most of Greg’s brothers and sisters were set to fly to the Philippines last June 12 to lay him to rest. According to Aileen, Greg’s body was in Washington D.C. and was set to be flown to the Philippines.

Aileen said that her brother really wanted to be in the army. She added that even if Greg grew up here in the US, the Philippines still remained close to his heart.

News reports indicated that Gagarin’s death was among 26 US troops casualties reported in Iraq over a span of 6 days.