<xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />JOHNSTONn An Iowa Army National Guard soldier from Schleswig in northwest Iowa was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq Saturday, guard officials announced Monday. <xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

  Spc. Casey Byers, 22, was killed when a bomb detonated beneath his Humvee along a supply route south of Ar Ramadi. A U.S. soldier from Colorado also was killed in the blast and an Iowa National Guard soldier from Ottumwa, Spc. James Migues, Jr., 28, was wounded in the attack.

  Iowa guard spokesman Lt. Col Greg Hapgood said Byers volunteered for Iraq duty with Company B of the 224th Engineer Battalion based in Ottumwa. The 224th also is comprised of units from Fairfield, Mount Pleasant, Keokuk and Burlington and includes soldiers from Davenport's 834th Engineer Company.

  Four soldiers from the 224th are among nine Iowa National Guard members who have lost their lives in Iraq. Approximately 500 members of the unit mobilized in October 2004 and arrived in Iraq in January, Hapgood said.

  ``You have to keep in mind that the mission they have is very dangerous,'' Hapgood said. ``Their job is to provide clearance for convoys to get past safely. If they find (improvised explosive devices) their job is to makes sure they are located and destroyed.''

  Hapgood said Byers manned a 50-caliber machine gun on an armored Humvee that was part of a 25-vehicle convoy. The convoy halted after a roadside bomb attack, but while soldiers worked to secure the area two more bombs detonated.

  The third bomb exploded directly underneath Byers' vehicle, killing him and Sgt 1st Class Neal Prince, an active duty solider serving with the 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Carson, Colo.

  ``The insurgents are using some very difficult tactics to combat. In some cases they're using some very ruthless tactics,'' Hapgood said. ``And the way you take care of those things is you don't give up.''

  Migues was patrolling on foot in front of the vehicle. He is being treated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany and is expected to be evacuated to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C.

  ``He received shrapnel and other blast injuries,'' Hapgood said.

  Byers was deployed to the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt with an infantry task force from July 2003 to January 2004. He graduated from the Combat Engineer qualification course in July 2004 and volunteered for Iraq duty with the 224th.

  Byers, who grew up in Vail, Iowa, enlisted in the Iowa National Guard in 1999. He graduated in 2001 from Ar-We-Va High School, where participated in football and track, and attended Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville.

  Byers' mother and father, Ann and William Byers, his brother Paul and his sister Jennifer live in Schleswig. He is also survived by an infant daughter, Hailey.

  Prior to his deployment to Iraq, Byers worked at Casey's General Stores' warehouse facility in Ankeny.

  Funeral arrangements are pending, Hapgood said.