A former Bangor resident was killed in Iraq last week, Department of Defense officials announced Sunday.

Army Staff Sgt. Kristofer R. Ciraso, 26, died Thursday after an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad, according a written statement from the department.

Ciraso is a former Bangor High School student who served with the 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.

He was part of the high school's junior ROTC program and knew early on that he wanted to become a soldier, said its director, Lt. Col. Jack Kurtzman.

''He seemed to take a lot of pride in, at least for that age, wearing a uniform,'' Kurtzman said.

Ciraso held leadership positions in junior ROTC, he said, and was a good student.

Kurtzman said Ciraso is the first former Bangor High cadet killed in the current conflict in Iraq. He and members of Maine's congressional delegation offered their condolences to Ciraso's family Sunday.

''We owe an unpayable debt of gratitude to the brave men and women in uniform like (Ciraso), whose courage is an inspiration to us all,'' said U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, in a written statement.

Ciraso was the second Maine servicemember to die last week.

On Wednesday, a Marine from Aroostook County died during a clash in Iraq's Anbar province.

Cpl. Dustin J. Libby, 22, of Castle Hill, was manning a rooftop machine gun at the time of his death, his brother said.

''My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones and with our men and women still in harm's way,'' said U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud, D-2nd District, in a written statement Sunday.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, also issued a statement Sunday, saying, ''I join the Bangor community in mourning his passing. His service to our nation was noble and honorable, and I know that he will be deeply missed.''

Ciraso's division left Fort Hood for its latest Iraq deployment in late October.

Staff Writer Elbert Aull can be contacted at 791-6325 or at:

eaull@pressherald.com