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Jed Boal and John Daley Reporting A blast in Baghdad killed three U.S. soldiers Saturday. Among them is a Utahn, Army Specialist Brandon A. Parr of West Valley.
Roadside bombs are a deadly threat to soldiers in Iraq every day. Army officials tell us that's what killed Parr and two other soldiers.
Claude McKinney, spokesman, 96th Regional Readiness Command: "The armored vehicle that he was in was hit with an improvised explosive device, and he was killed."
Specialist Parr's family expressed their thoughts Monday night. In a statement, Specialist Parr's wife said, "He felt it was something he had to do. Nine-eleven was his motivation to join the Army."
Army Specialist Brandon Parr was an active duty soldier on his second tour in Iraq. Officials at the U.S. Army Reserve at Fort Douglas spoke with the family about their loss.
Specialist Parr joined the Army in August 2003, five months after U.S. troops first rolled into Iraq.
Saturday Parr was on patrol in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device, or IED, struck his armored vehicle and exploded.
Claude McKinney, a public affairs officer with the U.S. Army Reserve, met with his family.
Claude McKinney, 96th Regional Readiness Command: "He deployed for those in his unit, not for political reasons. He deployed because he wanted to be with his Army friends."
The attack also killed two other U.S. soldiers, very close friends of Parr.
Parr was an active-duty soldier assigned to the 630th Military Police Company, 759th Military Police Battalion of the 89th Military Police Brigade out of Fort Hood, Texas. The specialist was married and leaves behind a five-year-old son.
Parr had already served one tour in Iraq, was back in Utah during the Christmas holidays, and his tour was extended again.
Killed in Iraq: Source: icasualties.org
-3,174 total
-1,219 by IED
It's now been four years since the U.S. invasion of Iraq. During that time, more than 3,000 U.S. troops have died in Iraq. More than 1,000 of them, like Parr, were killed by IED explosions, including eight so far this month and 72 so far this year.
Utahns Killed in Iraq:
-This year: 5
There are now five Utah soldiers, including Parr, who've died in Iraq since January 1.
A press release from the U.S. Army Reserve says funeral arrangements for Brandon Parr are pending.
