
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The mother of an Albuquerque soldier killed in Iraq said Thursday her son was “a good friend to a lot of people and had a good sense of humor.”
Spc. Christopher Merville, 26, was the sixth New Mexico soldier to die in Iraq. He was killed Tuesday when his unit came under fire during combat operations in Baghdad, the Defense Department said Thursday.
Pat Merville of Edgewood said her son wanted to do his part after the sudden death of his father in 2001 and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He worked out for a year, enlisted and was shipped to Oklahoma for training, she said.
He was stationed in South Korea, where he became engaged to a woman from the Philippines, before his unit was shipped to Iraq.
He wrote his mother last month about being promoting and getting better pay.
“Now I can look forward to...