MORE ON THE HEARTBREAKING STORY OF PVT Pahnke.

In Manhattan, Ill., flags are flying at half-staff for Pvt. Shawn Pahnke.

Now, the 3,100 or so people in this town near Chicago are waiting for him to come home.

Pahnke (prounced PANK-kee), 25, was killed Monday night outside Baghdad, the 50th American soldier to die in Iraq since May 1. Pahnke was assigned to the Friedberg, Germany-based Company C, 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, part of the 1st Armored Division‘s 1st Brigade.

He was on patrol, riding in the back of an unarmored Humvee when a sniper shot him in the back at about 11:50 p.m., according to military officials and media reports.

Family, friends and residents “are basically awaiting word” of when Pahnke will return, said Karen Cimarolli, assistant to Shawn Pahnke’s father, Tom Pahnke, Manhattan’s village administrator.

By the way...the flag is at half-staff here in Friedberg too.

The rest is here.