Army Staff Sgt. Jay E. Martin

Died April 29, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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29, of Baltimore; assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died April 29 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations. Also killed were Army Sgt. Alexander J. Funcheon and Army Pfc. Brian A. Botello.

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Soldier from Baltimore killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

BALTIMORE — A soldier from Baltimore was killed April 29 in Iraq, the Pentagon announced May 1.

Staff Sgt. Jay E. Martin, 29, died after a makeshift bomb exploded near his unit during combat, according to a Department of Defense news release. Two other soldiers were killed in the attack: Sgt. Alexander J. Funcheon, 21, of Bel Aire, Kan., and Pfc. Brian A. Botello, 19, of Alta, Iowa.

Martin enlisted in the Army in November 1997, according to the public affairs office at Fort Carson, Colo., where he was based. His deployment to Iraq, his first, began last October. He received several awards including the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal.

Martin, Funcheon and Botello were assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.