Army Sgt. Jeremy J. Fischer

Died July 11, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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26, of Lincoln, Neb.; assigned to the 267th Ordnance Company, Nebraska National Guard, Lincoln, Neb.; killed July 11 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his convoy vehicle in Samarra, Iraq.

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Nebraska soldier killed in Iraq

Associated Press

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — A Nebraska Army National Guard soldier was killed in northern Iraq when a roadside bomb exploded near his convoy in Samarra, military officials said Monday.

Sgt. Jeremy Fischer, 26, of Lincoln was killed Sunday, Maj. Gen. Roger Lempke said. Also killed in the attack was Sgt. 1st Class Linda Tarango-Griess, 33, of Sutton.

“Our prayers go out to their families,” Lempke said.

Fischer and Tarango-Griess were members of the 267th Ordnance Company, based in Lincoln, with detachments in Gering and Hastings. The company was sent to Iraq in February from Fort Riley, Kan.

Military officials in Iraq said a roadside bomb exploded as a U.S. patrol passed in Samarra, a hotbed of violence 60 miles north of Baghdad, killing two soldiers and wounding three others.

Fischer is survived by his wife, Sarah; his mother, Kathy K. Fischer, of Lincoln and his father, James K. Fischer, of Hastings, Lempke said.

Fischer was working for the Guard full-time as a chemical repair specialist and was part of a team installing armor kits on Humvees to protect soldiers.

His supervisor said Fischer was a great person and a great Nebraskan.

“I can tell you that he epitomized all of the great qualities that everyone admires about Nebraskans,” Lt. Col. Dan Kenkel told Lincoln television station KOLN.

Fischer and Tarango-Griess bring to 17 the number of U.S. service members with connections to Nebraska to have died since the beginning of military operations following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.