Soldiers From Va., Md. Die in Combat in Iraq

"He was growing into a fine young man and wonderful husband," his father said. "He would have been a wonderful father."

Just before his last patrol, his father said, he had called his wife to tell her that he would phone again at the end of what was expected to be a two-hour mission.

Survivors include his mother, Tina Houchins, of Newport News, Va., and two sisters, Patricia Gautier and Alexis Houchins.

The Maryland soldier, Pfc. Hamm, died of wounds sustained when his forward operating base received indirect enemy fire, the Pentagon said.

Hamm was a 2004 graduate of Carver Vocational Technical High School in Baltimore, according to an aunt, Eleanor Swan.

Hamm had studied carpentry but upon graduation became interested in the military and joined the Army in November 2004.

As was Gautier, Hamm was sent to Iraq only a few weeks ago.

Since joining the military, Hamm had written to his mother frequently, until her death in February, his aunt said.

She said his father died in 2000.

Swan said survivors include two brothers.

"He really loved carpentry when he was at the Vocational Tech," Swan said, adding that she couldn't "see him doing anything other than that."

Hamm was born and raised in Baltimore but always wanted to travel, she said.

"After he got to be 15-16, he liked to get on the bus and the train and just learn his way around the city," Swan recalled. "He'd make a whole day sightseeing like that. He always wanted to travel more."

Staff writer Martin Weil contributed to this report.