William C. Koprince killed during combat operations

An East Tennessee family is mourning the loss of a loved one killed in Iraq.

Lance Corporal William C. Koprince, Jr. died around 10:45 a.m. Iraq time on Wednesday.

A military spokesman says an IED, or improvised explosive device, struck and killed the Marine while he was on a foot patrol in the Al Anbar province, one of Iraq's most dangerous regions.

"You know, you always think it's going to be the other guy, you never think it's going to be you, and it was us," said Bernice Koprince, the Marine's mother.

The Koprinces learned the news Wednesday morning during a family breakfast at a restaurant.

The family recently moved from Lenoir City to Oak Ridge, so military officials had trouble finding them.

"I just wish the military had never visited us (Wednesday) morning. I wish they would never had learned my cell phone number and they would not have called to give us this bad news because I will never get to kiss my son's warm face ever again," said Mrs. Koprince.

The Marine's mother said she never wanted her son to join the military, but after nearly four years of service, she was not only behind her son but supportive of the entire war effort.

"If we don't take care of the problems where they are, those problems are going to be here," she said. "And if you want them to be here, fine, let's pull our military out. But if you want to live in peace and freedom, then shut up and get behind 'em."

After the Koprinces heard the news, they took the battery out of a Marine clock. Now, the clock will forever be frozen at the exact time their son was killed.

L.Cpl. Koprince was set to come home at the beginning of February. He would have been finishing up his second tour in Iraq.

His family says he planned to leave the military and head to college.

From WBIR