A Kenosha Marine was killed and a Racine Marine wounded Monday in Iraq's Al Anbar province when a roadside bomb exploded.

Cpl. Richard "Ricky" Nelson, 23, formerly of Mount Pleasant, died in the attack. Lance Cpl. David Doyle, 21, was wounded, but is expected to stay in Iraq and return to duty.

Also killed was Lance Cpl. Dean Opicka of Waukesha. The three were members of Milwaukee-based Fox Company, said Staff Sgt. Cliff Turley, a public affairs officer.

Doyle of Racine, received multiple injuries to his back, buttocks and legs, said his sister Lorraine Doyle. He is now in a hospital in Tikrit, Iraq. "They are going to watch for infection," Lorraine said. He will then be returning to service.

"It's like a code of honor thing. He was friends with both of these guys," Lorraine said. "I respect his decision, but I really wish he wouldn't stay there."

The deaths were the first for the Fox Company's second tour in Iraq. Five members were killed during a deployment in 2004-2005, including Lance Cpl. Daniel Wyatt of Caledonia. Wyatt was killed on Oct. 12, 2004, by a homemade bomb in the Babil Province of Iraq, south of Baghdad. Wyatt was the first of Racine County's casualties from the Iraq war.

Nelson spent much of his childhood in Mount Pleasant and attended Kenosha's Christian Life School. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Reserves in 2004, his mother said. His parents, Lennie and Susan Nelson, moved to Pleasant Prairie in 2006.

"It sounds kind of simple, because this is what most people say when someone dies, but he was a fine young man," his mother said. "He loved his family, loved his friends and loved God."

She said this was her son's second deployment. He spent seven months in Iraq in 2005, she said, and had been in Iraq since January. She said he was due to come home in

August or September.

This time, she said he was able to keep in touch with his family, including his wife,

Kristen. The high school sweethearts were married April 21, 2007, Susan Nelson said.

"The last four Saturdays he called us. He was at a base," she said. "On Sunday night he was on a webcam with his wife and a bunch of friends there at his wife's apartment just having a great time."

Susan Nelson said her son's decision to join the military was difficult for her.

"I was sick," she said. "I wish I could say I was excited, but I wasn't. I was proud that he wanted to serve his country, but I wasn't exactly excited. He was signing up for the Marines. I'm a mom. When there's a war going on you're not excited your son is signing up for the military."

With the pride she felt about the work he did came pride for the work the military is doing in the Middle East.

"Ricky deserves to be honored," Susan Nelson said. "(Deployed personnel) don't get the honor due them. I think because of all the negative media about Iraq, people don't recognize the work they do."

She said her son was assigned to help get officials from place to place.

"He either drove or rode one of the armored vehicles," she said. "It was 48,000 pounds; a big vehicle he drove. His job was to drive, he'd call them 'big shots,' higher-up people who wanted to go from point A to point B."

Susan Nelson said her son joined the Marine Reserves to help pay for college.

"He was excited about coming back," she said. "His deployment was scheduled to end in August or September and he was excited to come back and go to school to be an elementary school

teacher."

Several years ago, his career goals were different, Susan

Nelson said.

"At one time he wanted to be a policeman," she said. "Over time that really changed. When he was home, he was around a bunch of little kids. He has 14 nieces and nephews. The more he was around kids, the more he realized that's what he wanted to do."

His family received news that he had been killed Monday evening, when officers came to the door. She said his body is due to arrive in the country tonight. She does not know when they will have funeral arrangements made, but services will be held at First Assembly of God Church in Kenosha.

As word about her son's death has spread, Susan Nelson said their family and friends have been over to help.

"Last night we heard the news about 10 to six," she said. "Between that time and 10:30, when we went to bed, during that time there were 33 people here. They're just all coming to show support. That's what they're doing now, just being there."

The experience has left her with a lesson learned: "Often, you don't know what to do when someone dies. It's not a bother. Just go there, hug them, and that's it."

Nelson is the fifth member of the military from Racine County killed in the current Iraq war and the first in more than a year.

Army Pvt. Evan Bixler of Racine died Dec. 24, 2006, while on duty in Hit, Iraq, of wounds from indirect enemy fire received during security operations.

Army Capt. Rhett Schiller of Waterford was killed Nov. 16, 2006, from small arms fire during combat operations in Balad Ruz, Iraq.

Army Spc. Eric Poelman of Mount Pleasant was killed on June 5, 2005, in Baghdad when a bomb exploded near his vehicle.

- The Associated Press contributed to this report.