Fallen Marine family reacts to son's death

Marine Staff Sergeant is back home in Broken Arrow on one of the toughest missions of his life, laying to rest his younger brother, who was killed in combat last Sunday. <br><br>Lance Corporal Tommy Blair

Wednesday, April 2nd 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Marine Staff Sergeant is back home in Broken Arrow on one of the toughest missions of his life, laying to rest his younger brother, who was killed in combat last Sunday.

Lance Corporal Tommy Blair had been engaged in operations outside of Nasiriyah in Iraq. A week ago, his family learned he was missing. Three agonizing days later, they were told he was killed in action.

Staff Sergeant Al Blair - also a Marine - says Tommy came to visit him shortly before he left for Iraq. "He was a little nervous naturally; but he was proud to do what he was going to do. The danger's pretty much an unspoken thing. I mean you're in the military not in the Boy Scouts. It's a dangerous environment."

Tommy Blair's family will announce funeral arrangements later in the week. In the meantime, they've asked for private time to grieve.