Jon Ayers' final mission had him unnerved. The Army corporal from Snellville had been assigned to a remote base in Afghanistan's Kunar province bordering the Pakistani tribal areas, a known haven for Taliban militants who had been increasing their attacks on coalition troops.

"None of them were very excited to be there," said his father, Bill Ayers of Snellville.

U.S. Army (ENLARGE)

Cpl. Jon Ayers.

U.S. Army (ENLARGE)

Cpl. Matthew Phillips.

U.S. Army (ENLARGE)

Master Sgt. Mitchell Young.

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Army Cpl. Matthew Phillips, of Cumming, also was stationed in Kunar province, with the same 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

The last time he was home, over Christmas, Phillips, 27, planned his own funeral.

"I was just told about that, but it doesn't surprise me," said his father, Michael Phillips of Dawsonville. Apparently, the younger Phillips didn't want his family, including his new bride, Eve, to be troubled with the arrangements. They were married in December 2006.

"I'd always tell him, 'You're going to be fine, you're coming home, the odds are with you,'" his father said.

The two had planned a fishing trip in August, when Matthew was scheduled to come home.

Phillips and Ayers were among nine soldiers killed Sunday after a group of insurgents engaged the 2nd Battalion in a three-hour battle. It was the worst assault against Americans in Afghanistan in three years. During the past two months, more American troops have died in Afghanistan than in Iraq.

Sunday was the bloodiest day yet. Georgians paid dearly, with a third local soldier, Master Sgt. Mitchell Young, a Green Beret, also among the casualties.

Young, 39, of Jonesboro, was killed when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Kajaki Sofla. He had been assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). It was his third deployment in Afghanistan, along with one in Iraq.

"I was surprised to hear how he died," said his mother, Jane Young of Clayton County. "They were so well-trained to spot those IEDs."

Few soldiers were better trained than Young. Within eight years of enlisting in the Army, he had been accepted into the Special Forces, where he rose to a command position.

"He was a team leader, and he really loved his guys," said his mother. Before his last deployment, Young and his wife, Robyn, hosted a barbecue for his charges and their families.

"He was the daddy to all of them," Jane Young said.

Ayers, 24, was planning his own military career.

"He liked spit-and-polish type things," his father said. "He would fuss at us if our shoes weren't cleaned just right."

At Shiloh High School, Ayers rose to commander of Junior ROTC and was named Georgia's "most impressive commander" in 2002. Despite the misgivings over his final assignment, Ayers was committed to the armed forces, said his father, who had not seen his youngest son in more than a year.

Like Phillips, Ayers was nearing the conclusion of his tour in Afghanistan. He died just a week before it was to end. His family was planning a welcome-home party in three weeks.

"We had already started buying the decorations," Bill Ayers said.

Phillips had even more to look forward to. His younger sister, Mary Nix of San Antonio, was pregnant with a boy, to be named Michael Andrew.

"He couldn't wait to be an uncle," said Michael Phillips.

Nix had the baby Sunday. On Monday, she learned of her brother's death.

Michael Andrew Nix was renamed Matthew Andrew Nix.

— Staff reporter Rachel Pomerance contributed to this story.