SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A U.S. Army soldier who grew up in the Yakima Valley town of Granger has died in Afghanistan.
Relatives say 21-year-old Robert J. Near died in combat in the past week while serving as an infantryman.
The soldier’s uncle, Terry Near, said the family was notified of the death on Thursday. Near was deployed in March and had been due to return home. He will be buried in Granger.
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Information from: Idaho Press-Tribune, http://www.idahopress.com