Army Staff Sgt. Richwell A. Doria, 25, San Diego; killed in Iraq rescue effort

Army Staff Sgt. Richwell A. Doria was killed in Iraq by small-arms fire Nov. 7, one month shy of his 26th birthday.

The San Diego native, who was killed during an air assault and rescue mission, will be remembered as a hero, said his wife, Jasmine, through family spokesman Roy Toguchi.

“We’re very proud of Rich,” she said. “He was a very dedicated soldier, husband and father.”

Doria was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii in February 2001.

The couple married in January 2004 and have a 4-month-old daughter, Jada.

Doria’s mother-in-law, Kazue Miyano, said her daughter heard he was on a rescue mission when he was shot.

“He jumped out of the helicopter to go and get more guys when he got attacked and shot,” Miyano said in an e-mail. “He was transported to the hospital but was dead on arrival.”

“He was a great man, and we will all miss him very much,” said Miyano, who lives in Las Vegas.

Doria served a combat tour in Afghanistan in 2004 with Schofield’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

“He was a stand-up guy,” Toguchi said, “and was there for everybody.”

Toguchi added that Doria was also “a wonderful artist. He loved to sketch.”

Other survivors include his parents, Rosario Arzadon Doria and Fred Parajas Doria; sister, Rowena Arzadon Doria; and father-in-law Cory Michioka.

Doria was the eighth Schofield soldier killed in Iraq since 7,000 troops deployed there from the central Oahu Army base in July.