Gov't confirms soldier deaths

The U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed that Spc. Joe Rubio of Mission was among four soldiers who died Monday in Baghdad.

Although the 24-year-old's wife and parents were notified Monday morning, the government did not publicly announce the names of those killed in a Sunday attack until early Thursday morning.

The short press release notes that the four men died on March 24 "from wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive March 23." Previously, it was not known whether Rubio was killed immediately or died as a result of injuries.

The other three men were all from different ranks and regions. They are Pvt. George Delgado, 21, of Palmdale, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Christopher M. Hake, 26, of Enid, Okla.; and Pfc. Andrew J. Habsieger, 22, of Festus, Mo.

All four were members of the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Stewart, Ga.

According to an Associated Press count of U.S. casualties, the four deaths brought the total toll of the war in Iraq on American military personnel to 4,000.