Cpl. Riley E. Baker, 22, of Pacific, Mo., was one of two Lejeune Marines from the same unit killed in combat in Anbar province, the Defense Department said Friday.

Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Whyte, 21, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was killed Wednesday.

Both were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Baker was a star athlete at Eureka High School, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Officials of the Rockwood School District said the Baker family had contacted their son's former coaches and teachers with news of his death.

His parents, Grier and Lisa Baker, could not be reached.

"We are mourning the loss of one of our outstanding young men," said Rockwood spokeswoman Kim Cranston. "Our hearts go out to his family and the Eureka community."

Baker graduated from Eureka High in 2002, the year he was prom king at the school. He was a state-champion wrestler, having won the Class 3A title in the 140-pound division after a 40-2 senior season. He also was an honorable mention All-Metro linebacker for the Eureka Wildcats football team.

As of Saturday, at least 2,521 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

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