Keith A Nurnberg

McHenry, Illinois

September 5, 2007

 Killed in Baghdad, Iraq, when insurgents attacked his unit during combat operations.

McHenry soldier killed in Iraq
WLS By Charles Thomas

September 7, 2007 - The husband of a suburban teacher has become one of the latest American military casualties in Iraq.
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Army Specialist Keith Nurnberg lived with his wife in Genoa City, Wisconsin. He died on Wednesday when his Humvee was reportedly hit by a missile. He was serving his second tour of duty.

Nurnberg's widow, Tonya, is a third grade teacher at Round Lake Village Elementary School. Thursday night, the village school board met and held a moment of silence for the family.

Tonya Nurnberg is expecting a child in November. She learned of her husband's death Wednesday.

Similar stories have been told more than 3,500 times. Another American soldier killed in Iraq.

When Keith Nurnburg, 26, first enlisted four years ago, he was following a long family tradition. His great grandfather served in World War I, two grandfathers fought during WWII and his father was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam Conflict.

Not long after the Iraq war began, Keith Nurnburg became the latest member of his family to answer his country's call to arms, serving and surviving his first tour in Iraq as a tank gunner. He re-enlisted last year.

Then, while home for the 2006 Christmas holiday, the McHenry West High School graduate married Tonya, whom he had known for the previous 10 years.

She became pregnant with Nurnburg's child a few months later. His sisters said that's when Keith Nurnberg began counting the days until his service would end, but he was deployed again to Baghdad in March. As recently as last week, they said he told his family how much he wanted to be at home with his wife and to see his first child born.

Earlier this week, a rocket-propelled grenade hit his armored vehicle during a patrol, killing Keith Nurnburg's dream of coming home to his family.

Most of the family has gone to Wisconsin to grieve until the Army returns the soldier's body. The school board president in Round Lake, where Tonya Nurnburg works, said he is still trying to absorb the tragedy.

"It's really touched the folks in our district," said president W. Guy Finley. "Whenever a soldier is called upon to give the ultimate sacrifice, I know it touches us all. But when it's somebody that's in your family - and Mr. Nurnburg, he has married into our family here in Round Lake - it's really difficult for us to lose one of our own serving our country in Iraq."

Tonya Nurnburg's family lives in Wisconsin, where Keith Nurnberg's parents and other family members have gone to prepare for the funeral. There's no word yet on when the military will actually return his body to the Midwest.