Kentucky.com -- A soldier from Boyd County has become the 54th Kentuckian killed in the Iraq war.

Army Spc. Joey Cantrell, 23, of Westwood, son of Joseph Cantrell III and Sondra Adkins, was one of two United States soldiers killed Wednesday at 5:55 p.m. Iraq time, 10:55 a.m. EDT.

"He was in a vehicle where they were defusing a roadside bomb," his mother told The Daily Independent in Ashland. "It blew up and killed him and his sergeant."

She said she had last seen her son when he made a surprise visit home around Valentine's Day. He gave her a medallion, shaped like a soldier's dog tag, with a picture of himself, his mother and his brother. The medallion bore an inscription: "Close at Heart."

Cantrell, a 2002 graduate of Fairview High School, was the second soldier from the Ashland area killed in the Iraq war. Army Pfc. Scott Messer, 26, was killed in February 2006 south of Baghdad. He was a passenger in a Humvee when it overturned.

Cantrell was killed three days after the 53rd Kentuckian died in the Iraq War. Spc. William G. Bowling, 24, of Beattyville in Lee County, died Sunday when a roadside bomb exploded near a vehicle, killing him and three other U.S. soldiers.

The Department of Defense has confirmed 3,267 deaths in the Iraq War. Seven more confirmed U.S. deaths will added to the total, pending notification of next of kin.

Cantrell was the first Fairview High School graduate killed in military service since two alumni died in the Vietnam War in 1966, said Bill Musick, superintendent of the Fairview schools.

He said the two soldiers and alumni, Joe Robinson and John Loudenback, have been commemorated by a plaque at Fairview High School.

Musick called Cantrell "an outstanding student" and "natural leader" whose presence lifted other students to higher levels of achievement and conduct.

Cantrell played running back and defensive back on Fairview football teams that Musick used to coach.

"The last time he was home he came by and said, 'Coach, don't worry about me,'" Musick said. "He loved the military. He lived it and breathed it."

Jeff Preston of Preston Family Funeral Home said Cantrell's death was "just heartbreaking to this community."

Preston, a Fairview school board member, said: "Joey was doing what he loved."

Cantrell had discussed enrolling at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va., Preston said.

"He had aspirations of studying to be a doctor," he said.

Preston said funeral arrangements were pending until Joey Cantrell's body is returned home.

Preston said military officials told him that will take about 10 days.