Staff Sgt. Marion Flint Jr., of Baltimore, is the third serviceman from Maryland to be killed in combat in Iraq in a week.
He was killed Monday in Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat patrol operations, according to a Department of Defense press release.
The 29-year-old was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, in Fort Carson, Colo. He is survived by a wife and two children, said Fort Carson spokesman Capt. Justin Journeay.
Originally from Georgia, Flint was serving as a dismount squad leader at the time of his death. He began training for his current deployment when he was assigned to Fort Carson on Dec. 16, 2004.
Flint?s decorations include the Army Commendation medal, five Army Achievement medals, the Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge and Air Assault skill tab, said Journeay. Posthumous awards are pending.
Flint?s previous assignments include the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii and 101st Air Assault Division at Fort Campbell, Ky. His first deployment was with the 101st in 2003, said Journeay.
In the April 1 edition of “Iron Brigade Chronicles,” an Army-funded news magazine, Flint discussed a patrol in the Iraqi city of Balad, during which soldiers encountered children and supportive adults.
The soldiers handed out “Operation Iraqi Children” packets, the article said, which included school supplies and a stuffed animal.
“It?s basically just to give the kids and the families stuff just to show them that we are trying to help in any way possible,” Flint said.
Marine Sgt. Alessandro Carbonaro, 28, ofBethesda, died May 10 in Anbar province of Iraq, and Army Spc. Armer N. Burkart, 26, who grew up in Rockville, died May 11 in Baghdad.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
