SOLDIER'S DEATH: War hits close to home.(news)

BYLINE: RYAN OLIVER and KEITH ROGERSREVIEW-JOURNAL

After hearing of recent American causalities in Afghanistan, Greg Commons sat down to dinner Monday with his family in Alexandria, Va., and prayed for the safety of his son, a U.S. Army Ranger serving in the conflict who grew up in Boulder City.

But before the evening was over, an Army officer arrived at his door with the news. His son, Pfc. Matthew Commons, was among those killed in action in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan.

"I didn't think it would be him," Greg Commons said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I know we have thousands of Army soldiers over there. You never think it's going to happen to someone you know."

Matthew Commons, an 11-year Boulder City resident and a graduate of Boulder City High School, was among seven U.S. servicemen killed Monday during Operation Anaconda. Another American was killed Saturday.

The 21-year-old and his Special Operations team had just been taken into battle by two CH-47 Chinook helicopters when they came under heavy ground fire by surrounding enemy forces, according to news accounts. One helicopter left, and the other could not take off after it was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire.

The team…