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25-Year-Old Mercer County Soldier Killed In Iraq

HAMILTON, N.J. (CBS) -- A 25-year-old soldier from New Jersey was killed in Iraq when his convoy was struck by an improvised explosive device.

The Department of Defense says Lieutenant Omar Vasquez, originally from Mercer County, New Jersey, was one of two soldiers killed in the attack.

Eyewitness News spoke with Vasquez's father about his heroic son.

"I feel really proud of him and he died in the line of duty, defending the democracy of the United States," said Pablo Vasquez.

Lt. Vasquez graduated from Rider University and earned a masters degree from Rutgers State University in Camden.

He was deployed to Iraq in August 2010.

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