The Daily Inter Lake

Julie Brooks of Polson learned Monday that her son, Sgt. Lucas T. White, was killed in action in Baghdad.

A member of the Montana National Guard visited Brooks and White's stepfather, Lyle Brooks, on Monday to inform them of their son's death. He was 28.

His mother said that her son was the leader of a striker patrol when his unit was ambushed by small arms fire and an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. The incident is still under investigation by the Army.

Brooks said that her son grew up in Pendleton, Ore., until he was 12 or 13. The family then moved to Washington, where White graduated from White Swan High School in 1998.

Throughout high school, White planned to join the military. He enlisted in the Army in 2001 and served in Afghanistan.

He re-enlisted and had been in Iraq for five months.

"He really enjoyed what he was doing," his mother said Wednesday. "We're so proud of him."

She said a service was held in Iraq.

His body will return to the United States to White Swan Long House on Thursday for a traditional American Indian ceremony. White was a member of the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation.

At White's request, the family has arranged for his interment at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. She said he wanted to rest with his fellow soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan.

Along with his mother and stepfather, White's survivors include his father. Mervin White of Spokane; brothers Marcus Ramos, Nathaniel and Seth Brooks and sister Melissa, all of Polson, as well as grandparents and several aunts and uncles.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.