COURTESY PHOTO Sgt. Richard Correa was killed Tuesday in Iraq.

Roadside bomb kills decorated isle soldier

When Sgt. Richard V. Correa learned that his tour in Iraq was prolonged, he blogged, "I got extended!!! I ain't ever coming home!!!"

After Sgt. Richard V. Correa learned that his tour in Iraq would be months longer than expected, he wrote on his MySpace Web page, "I got extended!!! I ain't ever coming home!!!"

Tragically, Correa was right. The 25-year-old man from Honolulu was killed Tuesday, along with another Army soldier, by a roadside bomb.

Correa was a highly decorated soldier assigned to the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), based in Fort Drum, N.Y., according to the Department of Defense.

He is the 139th military person with Hawaii ties to die in Iraq since the war began in March 2003.

A 25-year-old Army sergeant originally from Honolulu was one of two soldiers killed Tuesday by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

Sgt. Richard V. Correa, 25, was a squad leader assigned to A Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), based in Fort Drum, N.Y.

He and another soldier, Staff Sgt. Joseph M. Weiglein, 31, of New Jersey, were killed while they were on foot patrol in Ilbu Falris.

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team was deployed to Iraq in July on a 12-month tour. But the tour was recently extended by four months. Correa was due to return to Fort Drum in October or November, said spokeswoman Karin Martinez.

Announcement of the tour extension prompted Correa to write on his MySpace page, "I got extended!!! I ain't ever coming home!!!"

Correa enlisted in the Army in January 2000. He completed the Ranger Course in Fort Benning, Ga., Combat Life Saver Course and Airborne School, according to a news release.

In December 2004 he was stationed at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga., before he was stationed at Fort Drum in October 2005, Martinez said.

According to a news release, Correa received multiple awards and decorations that include the Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab and several Air Force awards.

He is survived by his parents.

Fifty-six soldiers, three sailors, 79 Marines, one Air Force member and one civilian with Hawaii ties have been killed in Iraq since the United States invaded the country in March 2003.