BARNWELL, S.C. - The waiting came to an end Saturday for the family of Sgt. George E. Buggs.
The Pentagon announced that Sgt. Buggs, who was reported missing in Iraq on March 23, had been killed and was one of eight dead soldiers found during the rescue of an American POW last week.
The 31-year-old is the first South Carolinian confirmed killed in the war with Iraq.
The news was devastating to his family members, who had held out hope that he would be found alive.
"I was stunned," said his wife, Wanda Buggs, who married her high school sweetheart nine years ago. "He was the best father."
The Buggses have a son, Guy, 12.
Ms. Buggs said her son is trying to deal with the death of his father, who also was his best friend.
Sgt. Buggs' grandfather, George Buggs, said the family learned about the death from a reporter.
"I'm very proud of him," Mr. Buggs said of his grandson. "I raised him from the time he was 8 years old. He was a good child."
Sgt. Buggs was assigned to the 3rd Forward Support Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, Ga., an Army unit that was in the same convoy with Pfc. Jessica Lynch, who was part of the 507th Maintenance Company. The convoy was ambushed near Nasiriyah two weeks ago. Pfc. Lynch was later rescued.
"Once we heard about the girl, it gave us hope," said Ms. Buggs.
The hope turned to heartbreak when Sgt. Buggs' body was found with eight others when Pfc. Lynch was rescued.
The ninth body has not been identified and was returned to a forensics center at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
Sgt. Buggs graduated from Barnwell High School in 1990. One of his school teachers remembered him fondly. Joseph Meshach got to know the tuba player well during the seven years of middle and high school that he taught him.
"He started marching with the high school when he was in eighth grade," he said. "He was a good band member, real faithful and everything - good kid, he was quite a character."
By Saturday afternoon, word of Sgt. Buggs' death had begun to filter through the small community.
Kim Tyner, a teacher at Barnwell High School, already had heard about the death by the time she stopped by Kent's Corner convenience store Saturday afternoon.
"This is sad," she said. "But I'm proud he was defending his country."
A couple of streets from where Sgt. Buggs grew up, Ricky Creech was spending the afternoon barbecuing with friends. The news of his former classmate's death choked his voice with emotion.
"The war has come home to our county," Mr. Creech said. "You never think it would happen here."
Barnwell County Council Chairman Thomas Williams said that the community grieves with the sergeant's family.
"We hate to suffer that loss in the county, and our prayers and our hearts go out to the family. It's tough losing a loved one in any kind of situation, especially in a situation like this," he said.
Although plans for a memorial service had not begun, Mr. Williams said he was sure that something would be done to celebrate the life and grieve for the death of one of the county's sons.
"We definitely plan to do something," Mr. Williams said. "Hopefully, the community can get together to support the family and do anything we can in this time of bereavement."
Staff Writer Sara Bancroft contributed to this article, and Associated Press reports were used.
Reach Timothy Cox at (706) 724-0851.
