James E. Summers dies 'of wounds suffered when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device'

Flags are at half staff in Bourbon, Missouri, as the residents of the town learn about the death of a soldier fighting in Iraq.

A sign near the center of town reads "Our fallen hero, Jimmy Summers."

21-year-old Specialist James Summers was killed Monday in Iraq. He was a rescuer, coming to the aid of troops who'd gone down in a helicopter near Baghdad. Summers was hit by a sniper's bullet during the rescue mission.

His family says he always had a dream of joining the Army.

"He's my brother and he loves me, and I know I love him, and he wouldn't want us to be sad or depressed about this," said Tom Summers, his brother. "He would want us to move on and he would want us to be happy. He would want to honor him as best we could, and that's what I'm trying to do."

Another brother, 28-year old Michael Summers, is a sergeant in the Army. He'll be accompanying his brother's body home to the United States.

James Summers was married and the father of a 4-year-old daughter.

His father was once the police chief in Bourbon, which is near the Crawford-Franklin County line.

From KDSK 5