Army Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey C. Baker, 29, of Hesperia and Spc. William J. Gilbert, 24, of Hacienda Heights were killed May 14 in an improvised explosive device blast, according to the Department of Defense.
As Home Post reported last week, the soldiers were part of a NATO convoy on patrol when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.
Also killed in the attack was Spc. Mitchell K. Daehling, 24, of Dalton, Massachusetts. Daehling and Gilbert were both assigned to 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss in Texas.
Texas television station KVIA-TV reports Gilbert's widow, Monica Gilbert, is due to give birth to the couple's first child at the end of May.
To watch the KVIA-TV report on Gilbert, click here.
Baker was assigned to 766th Ordnance Company, 63rd Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance Group at Fort Stewart in Georgia.
According to the Facebook Page of 3d Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Battalion, Baker leaves behind a wife, Vicki, and a young daughter.
The Victor Valley News reports Sgt. Baker kept on blog on MySpace. He wrote of his love for his wife:
"Most people are looking for the perfect person. You have to look for 'perfect for you.' Well we found it. Trips to AZ and sleeping on the floor with Fernando. Kisses all over my face for taking care of a couple of dogs. Late night basketball, skating, tag. Kissing in the rain. Driving to Riverside. Being run over by a minivan. Threats of beatings with a flip flop. Ugghhh, I know you will hate this one, but Yahoo Games. The infamous 'weed smell' in the minivan. A ride to get new glasses. Fixing screens on windows and shoulder muscles. A small wedding in the rain and all the craziness that night."
