A soldier from Mankato has been killed in Iraq, a family member said Thursday. Army 1st Lt. Michael Fasnacht, 25, was hit by a remote bomb about 3 p.m. CST Wednesday while on patrol in a Bradley fighting vehicle, his brother said, according to KEYC-TV in Mankato and KMSP-TV in the Twin Cities. The Rev. Glenn Frerichs, the priest at St. Anne's Parish Center in Janesville, spoke with Fasnacht's family and told the Free Press of Mankato that Fasnacht was traveling in the lead vehicle of a four-vehicle caravan when the bomb hit. Fasnacht was stationed near Tikrit in the so-called Sunni Triangle. The military reported that one soldier was killed in a roadside bombing Wednesday near Adwar, Iraq, 10 miles south of Tikrit. However, the Pentagon had not identified the soldier as of Thursday night. Fasnacht, a native of Janesville, lived with his wife in Mankato. Both graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Fasnacht's body was expected to be returned to Minnesota this weekend or early next week. His parents are Ray and Marny Fasnacht of Janesville. "They're taking it really hard," Ken Fasnacht, a cousin, told the Free Press. Fasnacht is the 21st Minnesota service member to die in Iraq.

First Lieutenant Michael John Fasnacht, formerly of Janesville, died at the age of 25 on Wednesday, June 8, 2005 while serving his country near Tikrit, Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, June 17th at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Mankato with Fr. Richard Colletti and Fr. Syl Brown officiating. Interment with full military honors will follow at the St. Ann's Catholic Church Cemetery in Janesville. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m. at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Janesville. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Lieutenant Michael J. Fasnacht Army ROTC Endowment Scholarship. Arnoldt- McRaith Funeral Home of Janesville is handling funeral arrangements. He is survived by his wife, Tresa; by his parents, Ray and Marny Fasnacht of rural Janesville; by six siblings; by his maternal grandparents, Jack and Peggy Sexton of Socorro, NM; and by his mother and father-in-law, Thomas and Teresa Rongitsch of Lindstrom, MN.

A soldier from Mankato has been killed in Iraq, a family member said Thursday. Army 1st Lt. Michael Fasnacht, 25, was hit by a remote bomb about 3 p.m. CST Wednesday while on patrol in a Bradley fighting vehicle, his brother said, according to KEYC-TV in Mankato and KMSP-TV in the Twin Cities. The Rev. Glenn Frerichs, the priest at St. Anne's Parish Center in Janesville, spoke with Fasnacht's family and told the Free Press of Mankato that Fasnacht was traveling in the lead vehicle of a four-vehicle caravan when the bomb hit. Fasnacht was stationed near Tikrit in the so-called Sunni Triangle. The military reported that one soldier was killed in a roadside bombing Wednesday near Adwar, Iraq, 10 miles south of Tikrit. However, the Pentagon had not identified the soldier as of Thursday night. Fasnacht, a native of Janesville, lived with his wife in Mankato. Both graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Fasnacht's body was expected to be returned to Minnesota this weekend or early next week. His parents are Ray and Marny Fasnacht of Janesville. "They're taking it really hard," Ken Fasnacht, a cousin, told the Free Press. Fasnacht is the 21st Minnesota service member to die in Iraq.

First Lieutenant Michael John Fasnacht, formerly of Janesville, died at the age of 25 on Wednesday, June 8, 2005 while serving his country near Tikrit, Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, June 17th at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Mankato with Fr. Richard Colletti and Fr. Syl Brown officiating. Interment with full military honors will follow at the St. Ann's Catholic Church Cemetery in Janesville. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m. at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Janesville. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Lieutenant Michael J. Fasnacht Army ROTC Endowment Scholarship. Arnoldt- McRaith Funeral Home of Janesville is handling funeral arrangements. He is survived by his wife, Tresa; by his parents, Ray and Marny Fasnacht of rural Janesville; by six siblings; by his maternal grandparents, Jack and Peggy Sexton of Socorro, NM; and by his mother and father-in-law, Thomas and Teresa Rongitsch of Lindstrom, MN.