Army Pfc. Dwane A. Covert Jr.

Died November 3, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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20, of Tonawanda, N.Y.; assigned to the 104th Transportation Company, 13th Corps Support Sustainment Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.; died Nov. 3 in Al-Sahra, Iraq, from injuries sustained in a non-combat-related incident.

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Buffalo-area soldier dies in Iraq

The Associated Press

TONAWANDA, N.Y. — A 20-year-old soldier who was looking forward to the birth of his daughter was killed in a non-combat explosion in Iraq.

Army Pfc. Dwane Covert Jr. of the Town of Tonawanda joined the Army in 2006 and shipped out to Iraq in October of that year. He was assigned to the 104th Transportation Company, 13th Corps, Support Sustainment Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division in Fort Benning, Ga.

Covert died Saturday in Al-Sahra, Iraq when a cylindrical object he picked up while cleaning up around the base exploded, his mother, Teresa Covert, said.

He was the father of a 22-month-old son and was expecting a daughter in December. He had already named the baby Zoe. He and his wife Jeanette were married in March.

“He was held back from going out on another mission, because he was due back home for the birth of his baby,” Teresa Covert said.

She said her son picked up what appeared to be a caulk gun and was hitting it against a building to knock some dirt off when it exploded.

“Dwane loved his wife and baby. He was so excited about having a baby girl,” the mother said.