The orange and white bands on the flag of the Republic of the Marshall Islands signify courage and peace. Tonight we have the sad mission of remembering the first service member from the Marshall Islands to die in Iraq who epitomized both courage and peace. We’re also mourning a Texas son who dreamed of serving his country from the time he was a little boy, following in his grandfather's footsteps. Finally we celebrate the memory of a World War II hero who was the first Navy officer to die in defense of the Philippine Islands as the Japanese military made their way toward Pearl Harbor 67 years ago this week. He is finally home. Please join me in sending courage and peace through our condolences to the families, communities, loved ones and units of Staff Sgt. Solomon T. Sam, 31, of Majuro, Marshall Islands and Sgt. John J. Savage, 26, of Weatherford, Texas, and in hoping that the news of the identification of Ensign Robert G. Tills, U.S. Navy, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin provides some measure of peace for his loved ones.
From the DoD:
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died from wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device Dec. 4 in Mosul, Iraq. Killed were: Staff Sgt. Solomon T. Sam, 31, of Majuro, Marshall Islands. He was assigned to the 523rd Engineer Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Sgt. John J. Savage, 26, of Weatherford, Texas. He was assigned to the 103rd Engineer Company, 94th Engineer Company, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Staff Sgt. Solomon T. Sam, 31, of Majuro, Marshall Islands
Known as "La-Bai," SSgt Sam enlisted in the U.S. Army eight years ago. He had been redeployed to Iraq last month with the 523RD Horizontal Construction CO, 84th ECB, out of Scholfield, Hawaii.
On Sunday his wife Bwilla was notified of his death, making him the first service member from the Republic of the Marshall Islands to give his life in Iraq. ~ Source
He was father to three young children, who he referred to as "the other half of me" on his Bebo page. That’s where you’ll find pictures of them as well as photos of his time in Iraq. In his profile his answer to the question "Happiest When" is "With my wife and kids."
In addition to his wife and children, SSgt Sam is survived by his parents, Reverend Harry and Teaoi Sam of Springdale, Arkansas, where Rev. Sam is senior pastor at a Marshallese church.
Funeral arrangements were not published as of tonight. You can read personal condolences here.
Rest in eternal peace, SSgt Sam. Your mission is complete.
Sgt. John J. Savage, 26, Weatherford, Texas
Known to family and friends as "JJ," Sgt. Savage and SSgt Sam were just 50 feet from their base when their armored vehicle was broadsided by an SUV which exploded, according to the Weatherford Democrat.
Six years a soldier, Sgt. Savage had been on his second tour in Iraq for more than a year and was four days away from coming home. With two years left of his service, he wanted to transfer to Ft. Hood to be nearer his family and start an automotive business with his father, John Savage. As a soldier, he was following in his grandfather’s footsteps and was fulfilling a life long dream of serving his country. According to the Weatherford Democrat his father said he cherished a compass and flashlight that had beloned to his grandfather, who retired after 20 years as an Army Master Sergeant.
In the last communications he had with his son, Savage said JJ spoke of a father-son trip he looked forward to when he returned. He told his father he was coming home sooner than anticipated. His original tour was to end by February, but had been rescheduled for this week. Savage’s last words to his father were spoken in November, "I love you very much, daddy." John Savage said the last thing he told JJ was, "I love you too, son."
Sgt. Savage leaves behind his parents, John and Carole Savage, of Peaster; and Jaclyn Park, of Mineral Wells; grandparents, Maythea and Lee Munson, of Washington; along with five siblings, Gerald Savage, Carrie Phillips, Carin Schaab, Philip Gorin, James Gorin, Joenell West and Jamie Barker.
You can visit Sgt. Savage’s guest book to read some very personal and loving memories left by his relatives.
The Patriot Guard Riders met the plane that carried Sgt. Savage home at Mineral Wells Airport yesterday and escorted him to the funeral home. On Saturday, for Sgt. Savage’s memorial service, they will again be there in support and solidarity.
Rest in eternal peace Sgt. Savage. Your mission is complete.
Ensign Robert G. Tills of Manitowoc, Wisconsin
From the DoD:
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Ensign Robert G. Tills, U.S. Navy, of Manitowoc, Wis. He will be buried on March 23, 2009, in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Navy’s Mortuary Office met with Tills’ next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy.
On Dec. 8, 1941, two PBY-4 Catalina Flying Boats moored in Malalag Bay, in eastern Mindanao, Philippine Commonwealth, were strafed and sunk by Japanese aircraft. All of the crew on board the PBYs escaped the aircraft with the exception of Tills, who was seen by another crewman to have been hit and killed by machine gun bullets. Tills was the first Navy officer to be lost in defense of the Philippine Islands. His body was not recovered.
In October 2007, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) was notified by U.S. authorities in the Philippines that aircraft wreckage had been discovered in Malalag Bay. A fragment of the wreckage bore the markings "PBY-4."
In November 2007, a JPAC team, along with the Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group-Philippines and the Philippines Coast Guard (PCG), surveyed the site and recovered human remains and non-biological evidence. Later that month, the PCG recovered additional remains from the site.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC also used dental comparisons in the identification of Tills’ remains.
Like Sgt. Savage, ever since he was a little boy, Ensign Tills loved airplanes and flying. So his family wasn’t surprised when he joined the Navy at the age of 19 and was commissioned as an ensign in April of 1941. He was killed Dec. 8, 1941, while anchored in the Philippines on a PBy-4 Catalina seaplane. His crewmates survived, but Ensign Tills was hit and killed by machine gun bullets fired by Japanese military enroute to attack Pearl Harbor (the time zone difference is the reason his date of death is recorded as Dec. 8). Ensign Tills’ sister, Jean Alpin now 77, had pretty much given up hope that his remains would ever be found. She thought perhaps the Filipinos had found and buried him. She found out last spring that his remains had been positively identified. "It is amazing that they (were) still looking." She said. "People still care," she told the Herald Times Reporter. Ensign Tills was 23 when he was killed. Jean Alpin was 13 years younger. "I was a little girl then," the sister said. "He was my big brother that I idolized." (again quoting the interview in the Times Reporter)
I was just glad that I would finally know what really did happen to him," Alpin said. "We never really did know." "Now we know and we will bring him back here where he belongs to be buried."
On March 23 he will be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetry. His sister, husband, children and grandchildren will attend the ceremony. And hopefully someone else will be there – his fiancée, Vicki Quandt Lee, whom Jean Alpin found through the Internet. She’s 89 and widowed.
She married somebody named Robert E. Lee, and she just couldn’t call him Bob, so she always called him Lee," Jean said.
May Ensign Robert Tills rest in eternal peace. At long last your mission is complete.
Additional source for this tribute – bless you noweasels.
REMEMBER THEM WELL
Remember our troops- those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, those who are still in harm’s way and those who have returned home:
In Remembrance Please take a moment to honor the memories of our fallen service men and women who have passed through this world much too quickly. You can view the stories and remembrances of these heroes at sites such as Iraq Veterans Memorial and Honor the Fallen.
Supporting the Troops If you haven’t had a chance to put together a care package for a unit in Iraq or Afghanistan - it’s such a good feeling to know you are sending our troops things they really need. I’m not talking about the comforts of home – it’s necessities like socks and underwear and soup packets and feminine hygiene products and paper and pens...and school supplies, treats and trinkets they can pass out to the Iraqi and Afghan children. Basic things that they are so thrilled to receive. There are a few ways to do this. You can go through troopcarepackage.com or anysoldier.com. If you go to the anysolider site click on WhereToSend for a searchable database. For example if you search "By Latest Email" you’ll see the troops who most recently have submitted a request for specific items. You then request their mailing address. Operation Helmet is another great organization whose mission is to provide helmet upgrades.
Supporting Our Veterans We have a solemn duty to ensure that our veterans are properly cared for. Consider visiting sites such as StandUp4Vets.org, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Welcome Back Veterans.org and Fisher House to see where your help is needed. Other ways to help can be found in this diary.
The Department of Defense has confirmed 4,188 deaths, according to Iraq Coalition Casualty Count. 625 American troops have died in Afghanistan since 2001.
About the IGTNT series:
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Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.