A North Hills native who spent a career in the Marines and served in Afghanistan in the days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks was killed in Iraq Friday, the victim of an apparent bomb or rocket, his family reported.

Capt. Todd M. Siebert, who served with the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Marines, died after his armored military vehicle was struck by an unidentified projectile during patrol in Al Anbar Province. He would have turned 35 next month.

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Capt. Siebert had been in Iraq just six weeks before he was killed, according to family.

Yesterday, the military issued this account of the incident:

"Capt Todd Siebert was killed in action while conducting combat operations against anti-Iraqi forces in the Al Anbar Province. Capt Siebert was the left rear passenger of a M1114 high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle with level I armor when it was struck by an unidentified explosive projectile. Capt. Siebert was pronounced dead at [1:30 p.m.] on Feb. 16, 2007."

"He had been over in Iraq for a brief stint, probably a command setup, and visited here at Christmas," said his brother-in-law, Glenn Ridenour.

Capt. Siebert grew up in Franklin Park and graduated from North Allegheny High School in 1990. At school, he belonged to the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program.

He enlisted in the Army in 1992, and later joined the Marines. He was promoted to sergeant before receiving an officer's commission in 1999, when he graduated from Penn State University with a degree in criminal justice and received a commission from the Marine Corps.

He and his family resided at Camp Lejeune, N.C., for the past 10 years.

"He was in the military and then went to Penn State," said Mr. Ridenour.

He leaves behind his wife, Darcy, a 9-year-old daughter, Alicia, and a 6-year-old son, Nicholas, as well as two sisters, a brother, and his parents, Thomas and Dorothy Siebert.

A military funeral is planned.