OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A Harrah Marine died in Iraq after being hit by a roadside bomb explosion, his family confirmed Monday. Cpl. Jeremy Allbaugh, 21, was killed July 5 in the Al Anbar province of Iraq, his family said.

"He believed very strongly in what our country's doing, and we had just talked to him Tuesday," his mother, Jenifer Allbaugh, told The Oklahoman from her home in Whitehouse, Texas.

Allbaugh is the nephew of Joe Allbaugh, former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency during President George W. Bush's first term in office. A native of Blackwell, Joe Allbaugh served as Bush's chief of staff while he was governor of Texas and later became part of Bush's "Iron Triangle" of loyal Texas aides when Bush was elected president.

Jeremy Allbaugh is the first member of his Marine unit to die in combat in Iraq, his mother said.

The Oklahoman also notes that Joe Allbaugh was George W. Bush's campaign manager in the 2000 election.