James J. Holtom dies of injuries from I.E.D.

The violence in the Middle East hits close to home tonight, after a Rexburg man is one of three Idaho soldiers killed in Iraq. It happened yesterday after the soldiers' vehicle was hit with an improvised explosive device. Ty Perry spoke to the soldier's family today.

Twenty-two-year-old James Holtom is the oldest of eight brothers and sisters, and his family says he died doing what he wanted to do. Sergeant Holtom was a member of the 321st Engineer Battalion out of Boise. He and two other Idaho soldiers were killed when their vehicle was hit by some type of explosive. Two other soldiers were also injured in the blast.

This was Sergeant Holtom's first tour in Iraq since he had joined the Army about two and a half years ago, and his family says his enlistment came as a surprise.

Ben Holtom, brother: "He never really talked to my parents about it. He just came home one day and said he'd signed up for the Army, and he never really talked to them about it. My dad, he understood, but my mom didn't stop crying for about three days. That's just what he wanted to do."

From the KPVI 6