Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Hamlin, 24, of London, had talked to his cousin, Brooke Hamlin, on the Internet the morning of the explosion, she said. He told her how he was looking forward to returning June 10.

"He said he had so many things to do," she said.

Hamlin died Friday in Baghdad. Another soldier injured at the same time, Pfc. Larry I. Guyton, 22, of Brenham, Texas, died Saturday, the Defense Department said Monday.

They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Brooke Hamlin said her cousin talked in his last call home last week about where he wanted to be buried. He wanted to start a family burial plot at the home of his grandparents near London.

Hamlin was the only son of Autumn Hamlin of London and the only grandson of Thurman and Zola Hamlin.

"We're a small family, so it has hit us hard," Brooke Hamlin said.

She said her cousin was "incredibly intelligent" and a free spirit.

John Hamlin of London, an uncle, said this was a second tour of duty in Iraq for Hamlin, who also had served in Kosovo.

He said his nephew loved military life and was considering re-enlisting when his obligation was up.

Gov. Ernie Fletcher directed that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff. They will remain so until sunset the day of his funeral.

The London Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements, which were incomplete Monday night.

A spokesman at Fort Hood said last night that the Army would not release any details about Hamlin until Tuesday.

Hamlin is the 56th Kentuckian to be killed in the war in Iraq.