The Mercury News -- WALNUT CREEK, Calif.- Army Pfc. James J. Coon had braved danger before when, less than three weeks ago, he risked his life trying to save two soldiers from his unit who were wounded in a bomb attack.

Coon, 22, of Walnut Creek died Wednesday in Balad, Iraq, when an explosive device detonated near his vehicle, according to the Department of Defense.

Coon's bravery and selflessness in the earlier attack put him under consideration for a Bronze Star. He ran from his vehicle without protection or a weapon and put tourniquets on two wounded soldiers, who died in the attack along with four others in the unit.

"It really disturbed him," said his mother, Deena Hayes-Coon. "He said at that point that he didn't want to play Army any more—he wanted to come home."

Coon was a punter on Las Lomas High School's 2002 championship football team. He graduated in 2003 and attended Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill before enlisting in the Army.

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, in Fort Hood, Texas, and was deployed to Iraq in October.

"He was a nice kid, well-liked," said Las Lomas principal Pat Lickiss. "Any time I have a student or graduate die for any reason, it hurts. Las Lomas is a close community."

Coon's mother served in the Air Force and other relatives were in the Marines, but Coon enlisted in the Army mostly to save money to buy a home, his mother said. Advertisement

"It's a little bit of a tough economic situation around here for a lot of young people," Hayes-Coon said. "He said he was going to save his bonuses and his money so he could buy a house."

Coon enjoyed hip-hop music and dancing and excelled at darts. He won a national darts championship as a teenager and went to England to represent the United States at a world tournament, his mother said. He placed fifth.