Joshua V. Youmans

Saturday, March 04 2006 @ 04:00 PM MST

www.mlive.com -- FLUSHING TWP. - A Flushing Township soldier who was badly burned in an explosion in Iraq last fall has died.

Army Sgt. Joshua V. Youmans, 26, died Wednesday at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, the Defense Department said in a statement.

Youmans was one of four Michigan soldiers who were injured Nov. 21 when their Humvee hit a land mine in Habbaniyah. The blast instantly killed one other soldier while a second soldier from Traverse City died Dec. 8 of his wounds.

Youmans, who was married with a baby daughter, is the son of William Youmans and Rebecca Youmans.

Family friend Linda Fox said Youmans' family was with him when he died and were returning home Friday night.

"He was a nice looking boy," said Fox. "A very nice kid."

Fox learned of Youman's death Wednesday but said his family asked her not to tell anyone.

Youmans had been in rough shape since the blast, she said.

"We went through this for months with Josh," said Fox, manager of Duffy's Bar in Flushing.

Patrons at Duffy's Bar pulled together about $250 to help send Youman's stepmother, Jenny, to visit him in Texas.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

Youmans was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment from Saginaw.

Youmans is the 11th soldier with local ties to die in Iraq.

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