An 'Ewa Beach man and father of a young child was killed in Senjaray, Afghanistan, on Sunday when his Army unit was attacked with an improvised explosive device.

Pfc. JR Salvacion, 27, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, out of Fort Carson, Colo., the Pentagon said yesterday.

Salvacion entered the Army just over a year ago and deployed to Afghanistan as an infantryman in August, according to Fort Carson.

"R.I.P. Salvacion, J.R., I miss you brother, and I hope you are doing good in heaven," said a fellow soldier in a Web site memorial. "Send your angels to your 9-month baby and take care of your wife while in heaven."

Salvacion's American flag-draped casket arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Monday for return to his family.

His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and NATO medal.

Senjaray, where Salvacion was killed, is a Taliban stronghold west of Kandahar.

Three other soldiers from Salvacion's battalion were killed on Feb. 13 in Zhari province when a motorcyclist detonated a bomb when the soldiers were on a foot patrol. Several others were injured.

As of yesterday, the Pentagon said 713 U.S. service members have been killed in action in and around Afghanistan, 203 have died from non-hostile causes, and 5,063 have been wounded in action.