Died of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by small arms fire in Karmah, Iraq. Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska. Youngest Jump. Master in US army. Received Purple Heart. Went to Smoky Hill HighSchool graduated 1996. Was supposed to return home 6 hours after death for birth of daughter. Leia Ryan Baum was born May 29th, 2007. Loved hiking, camping, Castle Wood Canyon in Parker, his family, his wife and was so excited to meet his daughter.