Army 2nd Lt. Peter H. Burks

Died November 14, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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26, of Dallas; assigned to the 4th Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; died Nov. 14 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.

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Dallas soldier dies in Iraq

The Associated Press

DALLAS — A Dallas soldier killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq is being remembered as a dedicated team player who felt the call to serve.

Army 2nd Lt. Peter H. Burks, 26, died Nov. 14 when his vehicle was hit just outside the Green Zone in Baghdad. The Department of Defense released Burks’ name Nov. 19. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

Alan Burks of Celina said he wasn’t surprised that his son’s last actions involved checking on the five men with him.

“He told me, over and over and over again, he said: ‘Dad, my job is to get my 17 guys home safe. ... Then after that I’ll get myself home safe,’ ” Burks said.

Peter Burks moved with his family to Dallas in 1987 and graduated from Trinity Christian Academy in Addison and Texas A&M University. He worked in marketing for the Dallas Desperados and FC Dallas.

“He’s as good as they come,” his father said.

Alan Burks said his son had long talked about military service.

“He felt the call to serve. He’d tried corporate life and he just said, ‘I have to go do this Dad. This is what I’ve got to do.’ ”

He joined the Army in 2006 and went to Officer Candidate School. He was deployed to Iraq about three months ago.

Besides his father, he is survived by his mother, Jackie Merck, of McKinney; his fiance; three sisters; a brother; a grandmother and a grandfather.