Philadelphia Inquirer -- Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, 23, a 2001 graduate of Lodi High School, died Saturday. He was killed in Diyala Province when the vehicle he was riding in was struck by an improvised explosive device.

Romeo, of Lodi, Bergen County, was assigned to Company A, Fifth Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, Third Brigade, Second Infantry Division, also known as the Stryker Brigade Combat Team, in Fort Lewis, Wash.

"Vincenzo was a kind and courageous person who brought joy and laughter to all around him," his family said in a statement released by the Fort Monmouth Public Affairs Office.

"As a family of Italian immigrants, we are especially proud of our hero Vincenzo for his patriotism, bravery, and service to the United States," the statement read.

The family said Romeo was born in Calabria, Italy, and immigrated to the United States with them in 1986. After graduating from high school in Lodi, he attended Kean University for a year and then decided to enlist in the Army in March 2003.

Romeo received numerous awards during his military career, including the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. He was on his second deployment to Iraq.

Romeo is survived by his parents, Saverina and Antonio Romeo; brothers Bruno and Carmelo; and his fiancee, Amanda Anderson.