Army Sgt. Benjamin W. Biskie

Died December 24, 2003 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

---

27, of Vermilion, Ohio; assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade, based in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., killed in action while in a vehicle that was struck by an improvised explosive device, on Dec. 24 near Samarra, Iraq.

---

Sgt. Benjamin Biskie was known for his philosophy on life: Lighten up.

“He liked doing anything that made life a little bit less serious,” said his sister, Andrea Brown of Tucson, Ariz. “He was the type of person that, if you met him for five minutes, you knew that you would never forget him.

Biskie, 27, died along with two other soldiers while traveling near the Iraqi town of Samarra on Dec. 24. Biskie joined the Army nine years ago, after graduating from high school, and was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Survivors include his wife, Marcie, and 6-year-old son, Benjamin Jr.

“He loved his family and friends and serving in the United States Army,” his wife said. “He was proud of his country, and he fully believed in his mission in Iraq.”

— Associated Press