Michael J Tully

PITTSBURGH — A western Pennsylvania soldier died Thursday in Iraq, his family and the Defense Department said.

Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Tully, 33, of Falls Creek, died of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive that also killed Sgt. 1st Class Adrian M. Elizalde, 30, of North Bend, Ind., according to the Defense Department. Both were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Tully’s father, John Tully, said his son wanted to be a career soldier, joining the Marine Corps when he turned 18 and joining the Army four years later. He became a Ranger, then was selected to become a Green Beret.

“He always had aspirations to be the very best and he achieved...