Jamaican-born United States soldier Sgt. Gregroy Wright with daughter Tiaja. Sgt. Wright was killed in Iraq earlier this month. - Contributed

The United States war on terror has claimed another Jamaican.

Army sergeant Gregroy Wright, 28, father of a three-year-old girl, was killed on January 13 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Muqdadiyah, Iraq.

Wright had immigrated to Boston from Jamaica in 1997 when he was 19 years old. By age 21 he had enlisted in the Army National Guard. In 2004, he went on active duty with the army.

The United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services said Wright was posthumously awarded full citizenship before his burial last Friday.

Wright was assigned to the 1st Engineering Battalion, 1st Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division based out of Fort Riley in Kansas.

Giving something back

"He loved America. He wanted to give something back. He saw the achievement he could make here in the country, and he joined the army as a career," Conroy Wright, his father was quoted as saying in the Boston Herald.

"My son was going to be something big in this world. After he finished his service, he wanted to become a state trooper. He loved Boston and wanted to stay here for good." his father said.

"I'm very sad to lose my son, but I am very proud of my son."

Born in Newell, St. Elizabeth, Wright had his early childhood education at the Newell Basic School and later the Geneva Primary School from which he gained a place at Munro College.

Robert Wint, a long time friend of Wright, described him as "a great father, friend and brother, but most of all a great man".

He recalled the deceased army man to be an avid soccer player, who kept goal for the Rocks United Football Club in Newell, St. Elizabeth.

In June 2005, Sgt. Neil Armstrong Prince, a Jamaican based in Baltimore, was killed in similar fashion in Iraq.