The Department of Defense said two soldiers were killed in an attack Sunday. As of Monday night, the government had not released the names to the public, pending notification of family.

Groepper’s mother, Darcy, said Army soldiers notified the family of her son’s death Sunday.

Chad Groepper, who had been in Iraq for a year, is survived by his wife, Stephanie, and 4-month-old daughter, Clarissa, at their home near Fort Lewis, his family told The Des Moines Register. Groepper’s military unit wasn’t known Monday.

“He wasn’t scared of anything,” Dave Groepper, the soldier’s father, told The Associated Press. “That’s why he was in the infantry.”

Family members said Groepper enlisted in the Army 12 days after graduating from high school in December 2004.

Groepper had been home on leave late last year just four weeks after his daughter was born, according The Des Moines Register story.

Groepper’s death saddened Kingsley’s 1,200 residents.

“We are pretty close and everybody knew this young man well,” Kingsley Mayor Wayne Plendl said. “It’s such a tragic thing.”

Dave Groepper said his son was an “action figure” who always wanted to be in the front line.

Groepper was his parents’ only son. He is also survived by two sisters, Denae, 26, and Abbie, 24.

Mike Archbold: 253-597-8692