N.C. soldier, 22, dies of combat wounds

A soldier from North Carolina has died from combat wounds in Afghanistan, the military said Monday.

Pvt. Michael W. Murdock, 22, of Chocowinity, died Thursday at Bagram Airfield. Chocowinity is a small Beaufort County community southeast of Greenville.

Murdock graduated from Washington High School four years ago, said his father, Walter Murdock, and had been in the Army for about 18 months.

His mother, Jennifer Tripp, said her son "was fun-loving, very sweet, caring, true to his friends. He was always there for his friends."

Michael was her only son. "You couldn't have met a better person," she said. "This has been really hard."

He joined the military after his grandmother died, seeking direction in his life, Tripp said.

Walter Murdock said his son had plans to go back to school after leaving the military and wanted to be an architect or engineer.

Michael Murdock was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.

Murdock died Thursday from wounds suffered when he was hit by enemy fire at Combat Outpost Lybert.

That day's fatalities officially made 2008 the deadliest year -- pushing the total of American troops killed there to 113 -- since the United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001, The Associated Press reported.