Another Clermont County man has died in the line of duty while serving in Iraq. Bryan Taylor, 20, a 2004 Milford graduate, died while serving with the Marines after only a month in Iraq.

A press conference concerning Taylor was held late last week by Milford High School when news of the death was made public.

According to officials at Milford Schools, Taylor was known to the staff at Milford High School and Live Oaks vocational school as a bright student with interests in computers and technology. He was known to push himself to improve his skills, especially in computer aided design and drafting, a field in which he worked at length during school in the creation of a database of electrical and electronic symbols.

Taylor was also known to visit the schools and the teachers with whom he had forged a special relationship during his visits to town after graduation.

In fact, the Miami Township man recently visited with some of his former teachers before his deployment to Iraq. The lance corporal visited Milford High School in December shortly before reporting to duty and deployment in Iraq. Having just arrived in Iraq, the Marine was reportedly struck by gunfire as he fueled his vehicle near Baghdad.

The death makes Taylor the 21st service man or woman from this region to be killed in Iraq since the war began. In all, more than 2,300 U.S. soldiers have been killed in the three-year-old war.

Taylor joined the marines last fall and reported to basic training in California. According to officials at Milford schools, Taylor joined for the challenge, and credited the Marines with helping him to find direction in life. The Marine reportedly looked forward to deployment in Iraq.

His body was returned home Tuesday night, arriving at Cincinnati International Airport just before 8 p.m. It was transported from there to Evans Funeral Home in Milford with an honor guard from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Miami Township Police, the Milford Police and the Clermont County Sheriff