Brandon soldier dies in Iraq

Sunday, December 11, 2005

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Smith had been in Iraq for six months.

A soldier from Brandon died Thursday in Baghdad when a bomb exploded near the convoy he was escorting.

First Lt. Kevin J. Smith, 28, was killed after insurgents detonated an explosive as the convoy of engineers went along the Tigris River to a power plant. The blast also injured three other soldiers.

"His commanding officer said that in Baghdad, there are two routes that are quite dangerous," Smith's father, Clifford Smith said. "This was one of them."

Despite the danger, Smith said his son, who had been in Iraq for about six months, rarely discussed his fears. On Friday morning, Smith took down the yellow ribbon he had hung in his house.

"He really is home," he said. "He's at home with the Lord."

Smith had sent an e-mail to his father earlier in the day.

Smith said he couldn't believe the news. He had just received an e-mail from his son earlier that morning.

"He said '40 more days,' so when I pulled in the driveway that night and saw the U.S. government car with the officer and the chaplain standing in my driveway I couldn't believe they were going to tell me something bad, because I just got an email from him this morning."

Smith, a West Point graduate, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Stewart, Ga.

Information from the AP was used in this report.

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