29 Oct 2003

Second American Samoan soldier killed in Iraq

11:35 am on 29 October 2003

The United States army has revealed that a second American Samoan soldier has died in Iraq.

Private Jonathan Falaniko, an army engineer, was killed when a vehicle containing an explosive device detonated.

Private Falaniko had joined the army in May this year.

He is the second American Samoan to die in the Iraqi conflict, after Specialist Kevin Letufuga was killed in August after falling from a roof top while on guard duty.

Both men were 20 years old.