Joe Narvaez slain by sniper

A soldier from San Antonio was one of eight U.S. service members killed in Baghdad on Monday, the U.S. military said — the most in the Iraqi capital in a day since July 2005.

Four of the soldiers died in a roadside bomb attack; four others were killed by small-arms fire in separate incidents. A ninth soldier died Sunday when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb west of the capital, the Defense Department announced.

Staff Sgt. Joe A. Narvaez, 25, was killed by a sniper while clearing an area and inspecting two dead Iraqis, Fort Sam Houston public affairs officer Phil Reidinger said.

Narvaez was a 2000 graduate of Kennedy High School, where he played football for three years.

The Kennedy football coach recalled a young man respected by teammates and coaches alike.

"He gave us everything he had," Richard Cerda said. "He was a leader on the field and off the field. One time in practice, things weren't going right, but he stood up with a big smile on his face and said, 'Hey, it's going to be all right.'

"It's very hard and very sad to hear what happened."

Narvaez was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Schweinfurt, Germany.

From the San Antonio Express News