Oregon Mourns a Soldier (AUDIO)

Local radio and TV stations are staying close to the story, hear reports from our news partner, Newsradio 1190 KEX in Portland, Oregon.

Army Pfc. Thomas Tucker of Madras, Oregon

(MADRAS) - The family and friends of Army Private First Class Thomas Tucker of Madras, a soldier believed to have been killed in Iraq this week, say they appreciate the outpouring of support from people all around the nation. The two soldiers disappeared after an insurgent attack Friday at a checkpoint by a Euphrates River canal, 12 miles south of Baghdad. Spc. David J. Babineau, 25, of Springfield, Mass., was killed. The three men were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, Kentucky. U.S. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said the remains found by U.S. troops were believed to be those of Thomas Tucker, 25, and Private First Class Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, Texas. Caldwell said U.S. troops — part of a search involving some 8,000 American and Iraqi forces — found the bodies late Monday near Youssifiyah, where they disappeared Friday. The family says they "have come to the realization that Tom has gained a much larger family through this ordeal than he had when he left home to go help to free the Iraqi people and protect his country from the threat of terrorism." Click the play button on the screen below to listen to news reports from Madras, Oregon from our news partner, Newsradio 1190 KEX in Portland. Click here to comment!