Army Staff Sgt. Joseph Gage, a native of Modesto, was one of three soldiers who died Thursday when the bomb exploded near their Humvee, the Department of Defense said Monday.

Gage, a 10-year military veteran who received an Army Good Conduct Medal and several other commendations, was based with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell in Kentucky.

The other two soldiers killed were Lt. Col. Paul Finken, 40, of Earling, Iowa, who also was based at Fort Campbell; and Lt. Col. Eric J. Kruger, 40, of Garland, Texas.

Gage and his wife Samantha, who met in Hawaii, would have celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary on Monday. The couple have a 6-year-old son.

Military officials notified Gage's family on Friday and sent a chaplain to meet with his parents at their home in Hickman, just east of Modesto.

"He had 11 days left. He should have been coming home," said Randy Gage, his father, told the Modesto Bee.

Gage attended Downey and Johansen high schools in Modesto before joining the Army in 1997.

Gage recently signed up for 12 more years in the Army, according to his parents. His first deployment to Iraq was in 2003, and he began a second tour about a year ago. He was scheduled for duty in Germany after his scheduled leave.

His stepmother, Tamara Gage, said their son was dedicated to the war against terrorism.

"He was a very good soldier, a good man, a good father and a good husband," she said.