Saipan Tribune -- SAIPAN -- Sympathy poured in for the families of Army reservists Derence W. Jack and Wilgene Lieto, who were killed in Iraq on Monday.

Relatives, friends and other community members arrived in great numbers at the wakes Tuesday evening to pay their respects to the fallen soldiers and offer their condolences to the surviving family members.

Rosary vigils were held for Jack at his family's residence in Gualo Rai at 7 p.m. and for Lieto at Tanapag Church at 8 p.m. The vigils will continue every night until the funerals.

Flags all over the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will be flown at half-staff for one week to honor the two men.

Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo this morning honored the two as well.

"The deaths of Derence Jack and Wilgene Lieto bring the war against Iraq that much closer to home," Bordallo said. "My thoughts and prayers are with the families of these soldiers. We owe a debt of gratitude to these fallen men and to their families."

CNMI Rep. Arnold Palacios, an uncle of Jack's wife Melissa, said his family was shocked by the news of Jack's death.

"It's always very sad and shocking when we lose soldiers from our community because it is too small. This is especially more so if the person killed was part of your family. Our hearts go out to the family of both soldiers, particularly the spouse and kids," Palacios said. "These two soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We've said this again and again before, but what happened gives us a greater understanding of what 'fighting for freedom' meant."

Palacios also called on the community to pray for the safe return of all other servicemen from the CNMI who are still in Iraq.

Ruth Coleman, executive officer for the Military Veterans Affairs Office, said the bodies of Jack and Lieto are now in Philadelphia. They are not expected to arrive on Saipan until a week from now.

"The military is making sure that the bodies will be presented properly to their families," she said.

Full military honors are also being prepared for the two soldiers, Coleman added.

Jack, 31, and Lieto, 28, were killed when a bomb blew up while they were on patrol in Balad, Iraq, Monday night.

They were both due to come home in less than four months.

The two members of Echo Company were among the U.S. Army reservists called to active duty in August 2004. They left for a one-year tour of duty in Iraq in January.

Jack was a Gualo Rai resident and worked as cash department manager at Bank of Guam. He was married to Melissa Jack. They have a 4-year-old daughter.

Lieto was a police officer from Tanapag. He was married to Tiara Lieto, with whom he had a 4-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter.

The two soldiers were on patrol when a homemade bomb blew up and hit their vehicle Monday morning in Iraq.

Jack and Lieto, presumably along with other soldiers aboard the vehicle, were immediately taken to the hospital. Jack subsequently died of internal bleeding and head trauma. Lieto died after losing too much blood.