Bomb blast in Iraq kills soldier from Union (Russell Makowski)

A soldier from Union was killed Thursday by an improvised bomb while on patrol in Taji, just north of Baghdad, his family says.

Army Spc. Russell Makowski, 23, had been in Iraq since December and was home on leave for two weeks in August. Mark Makowski, his father, said Army personnel notified the family Thursday night.

"Since he was a kid, he always wanted to be a soldier," his father said. "He was proud to be a soldier and proud to be over there. He told me when he was home, 'We need to be there, we do need to take care of those people.'"

Mark Makowski said his son was making plans to return for a 30-day leave in December and January. "He said he would be home by Christmas," his father said.Advertisement
Russell Makowski grew up in the St. Charles Hills area of St. Charles County. His family moved to Union six years ago, and he graduated from Union High School in 2002, his father said.

Mark Makowski said he and his wife, Pam, have another son, Matt, 15, who is a student at Union High. Mark Makowski said Matt "was always very proud of his brother, and always was saying that his brother was a hero for what he did."

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