Staff Sgt. Daniel M. Cuka, 27, of Yankton, South Dakota died after two improvised explosive devices blew up near his Humvee in Baghdad.

Cuka leaves behind his wife, Melissa, and two children, ages 2 and 5.

A graduate of Yankton High School, he worked as a line cook at Yesterday's Cafe along with his future wife while in high school.

Owner Dan Trimble said news of Cuka's death was difficult to take.

"You hear about people dying, but this hits close to home," he said. "It's someone you knew."

Cuka was a hard worker who never said anything bad about anybody else, Trimble said.

"He had a reserved sense of humor," Trimble said. "It was not loud or obnoxious."

Wally Bosch, an assistant principal at Yankton High School for 19 years, remembered Cuka as a "nice kid who always had a smile on his face."

Teacher Paul Harens had Cuka in class at Yankton.
"He was a very fine, patriotic young man who was a credit to the community," Harens said.


**Thanks to Find A Grave contributor, Brad for fulfilling my photo request for Daniel Cuka.

Staff Sgt. Daniel M. Cuka, 27, of Yankton, South Dakota died after two improvised explosive devices blew up near his Humvee in Baghdad.

Cuka leaves behind his wife, Melissa, and two children, ages 2 and 5.

A graduate of Yankton High School, he worked as a line cook at Yesterday's Cafe along with his future wife while in high school.

Owner Dan Trimble said news of Cuka's death was difficult to take.

"You hear about people dying, but this hits close to home," he said. "It's someone you knew."

Cuka was a hard worker who never said anything bad about anybody else, Trimble said.

"He had a reserved sense of humor," Trimble said. "It was not loud or obnoxious."

Wally Bosch, an assistant principal at Yankton High School for 19 years, remembered Cuka as a "nice kid who always had a smile on his face."

Teacher Paul Harens had Cuka in class at Yankton.
"He was a very fine, patriotic young man who was a credit to the community," Harens said.


**Thanks to Find A Grave contributor, Brad for fulfilling my photo request for Daniel Cuka.