Kenneth Gibson Tribute

Sgt. Kenneth B. Gibson of Christiansburg, Va., was killed and two fellow soldiers wounded while on foot patrol in Tarmiyah, Iraq, on Sunday when their unit was hit by a homemade bomb.

Gibson had spent most of his Army career at Schofield Barracks after enlisting in March 2002. He deployed with the 2nd Brigade to Iraq in January 2004.

He was uncertain about remaining in the Army since the couple wanted to start a family. "He wanted to be there as a father," his widow said. "He was concerned about future deployments."

The couple had been going together since they were in junior high school, and were married six years ago.

"He was a wonderful person," Nikki Gibson said. "He never wanted anyone to be unhappy. He would do things to make someone smile. He was just a good soul -- angel."

Gibson also loved the Atlanta Braves, she said. "He was die-hard fan."

His widow added, "He always wanted everyone to smile. When you think of him, just smile. He would have wanted that."

Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Gibson was the 10th Stryker brigade soldier to die in Iraq since the Schofield Barracks unit was sent there in December.

More than 4,000 soldiers with the Hawaii-based Stryker brigade are serving a 15-month deployment in the northern Baghdad area. The soldiers left Hawaii in November and December on the unit's second deployment to Iraq.

When it returned in 2005, the 2nd Brigade began training with the Army's 19-ton Stryker vehicles.

Thirteen 25th Division soldiers from the 2nd Brigade were killed during the Iraq deployment in 2004-2005.

Since the war started on March 19, 2003, 87 soldiers, four sailors, 83 Marines, two Air Force personnel and one civilian with Hawaii ties have been killed.