The Pentagon has confirmed that a 27-year-old Ewa Beach resident was killed Sunday in southern Afghanistan by a homemade bomb.

Pfc. J.R. Salvacion died of wounds he suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with a homemade bomb in Senjaray, west of Kandahar. He was assigned to Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, from Fort Carson, Colo.

Salvacion joined the Army on Feb. 4, 2009, and was midway through his first 12-month combat deployment to Afghanistan.

His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a campaign star, Global War of Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and NATO Medal.

His remains, carried in a flag-draped transfer case and escorted by eight soldiers, arrived Monday night at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, along with the body of Staff Sgt. Michael David P. Cardenaz, 29, of Corona, Calif.

Cardenaz was killed Saturday when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades in Kunar province in northeastern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border, the Defense Department reported.

The two soldiers were from the same battalion, which was sent to Afghanistan from Fort Carson in August.

Salvacion was the first American soldier with Hawaii ties to be killed in Afghanistan this year. The other combat deaths this year have been four Marines assigned to Kaneohe Bay's 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

Since the U.S. offensive started in Afghanistan eight years ago, 18 soldiers, 21 Marines, one Air Force officer and nine sailors with ties to Hawaii have died there.