Army Pfc. Christopher M. North

Died April 21, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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21, of Sarasota, Fla.; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died April 21 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire during combat operations.

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Fort Riley soldiers from California, Florida killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

FORT RILEY, Kan. — An infantryman from Florida has become the latest Fort Riley soldier killed in Iraq, the Pentagon said April 23.

The Department of Defense said Pfc. Christopher M. North, 21, of Sarasota, Fla., died April 21 from his wounds after his unit was hit with roadside bombs and small-arms fire during combat in Baghdad. North became the 95th Fort Riley soldier killed since the war started in 2003.

North was assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Cavalry, of the 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. He joined the Army in July 2005 and began serving at Fort Riley in December 2005. It was his first deployment to Iraq.

North’s father, Mark North, a sales representative in Bradenton, Fla., said he had two short conversations with his son since he was deployed to Iraq.

He said his son was a “good, kind, caring, friendly, lovable young man.”

“He was into cars. He was into motorcycles, anything that went fast. He had more friends than I could ever think about counting,” Mark North said. “Everybody got along with him.”

Mark North said his son wanted to go into law enforcement and one day join the FBI.

North was the second 4th Brigade soldier to be killed in recent days.

Army officials said Pfc. Jason Morales, 20, of La Puente, Calif., was killed April 18 in Baghdad by small-arms fire while his unit was conducting patrols. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment.

Morales joined the Army in November 2005 and arrived at Fort Riley in March 2006 as the brigade began forming its ranks. This was his first deployment to Iraq, leaving earlier this year.

The brigade has seen numerous casualties since it arrived in Baghdad in February as part of the increased U.S. presence attempting to stem growing sectarian and militia violence. The 3,400 soldiers have been assigned to neighborhoods where the fighting has been particularly intense as the Iraqi army seeks to gain the upper hand against insurgents.

More than 6,000 Fort Riley soldiers are currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, with more forces expected to leave later this summer when the Combat Aviation Brigade deploys.