SAN ANTONIO � A San Antonio soldier has died of wounds suffered from a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Iraq, the Department of Defense said Tuesday.

Cpl. Javier G. Paredes, 24, died Sept. 5 in Baghdad.

�Javier was a good kid,� his aunt Maria Acevedo told the San Antonio Express-News last week. �His mother would have been proud of him.�

Paredes, who spent much of his childhood in foster care, lived with his aunt just before joining the military in 2004. His mother died in 1999.

Family members told the newspaper that Paredes was proud and strong and loved his job. He worked as a medic.

Gonzalo Paredes, 20, said he was going to miss his brother.

Paredes was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Ga.