Fort Lewis Stryker soldier killed in Iraq

Sgt. Iosiwo Uruo, 27, a Stryker brigade member from Fort Lewis, died Thursday when his unit came under small-arms fire in Iraq, the Pentagon reported today.

He was the 15th soldier based at Fort Lewis to die in May, making it the deadliest month of the Iraq war for troops from this Army post, the Associated Press reported.

The firefight in which Uruo died took place in Buhriz, about 40 miles north of Baghdad and just south of Baqouba.

Uruo, a native of Agana Heights, Guam, was a cavalry scout with Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis spokesman Matt Hinkle said.

Uruo joined the Army in January 2001 and after assignments at Fort Knox, Ky., and Camp Casey, Korea, was posted to Fort Lewis in February 2005.

His awards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, Korean Defense Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

Born in an American territory, Uruo was a U.S. citizen, Hinkle said.