Briefs

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AIR FORCE

Hickam school gets sculpture

A two-year effort to bring a major work of art to Hickam Elementary School came to fruition recently with the dedication of a bronze sculpture called "Kalani I Ka Lewa (Ascend to the Heavens)."

Hundreds of people, including Hickam residents, school officials, students and base leaders, turned out for the May 24 dedication ceremony in front of the school.

Created by artist Viliami Toluta'u, the sculpture depicts a young Hawaiian chief releasing an eagle to the heavens.

"This piece has a meaning to it that everyone can relate to," said Hickam principal Jerry Okino. "There are so many connections."

Among those are connections to ancient Hawaiians, the nation, the Air Force and flight, Okino said.

The artwork was created as part of the Artists in Residence project established by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts in collaboration with the Department of Education.

JOINT SERVICES

Recovery team off to Vietnam

A Joint Field Activity consisting of an investigation team, a research investigation team and five recovery teams will deploy from Hickam Air Force Base to Vietnam for a 30-day effort.

Up to 95 mostly Hawai'i-based personnel from Joint Task Force-Full Accounting and the U.S. Army's Central Identification Laboratory Hawaii are taking part.

Team members will be joined by counterparts from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to begin work on joint investigations and remains recovery operations in nine Vietnamese provinces. Included will be an underwater recovery operation in southern Vietnam.

Since 1973, the remains of approximately 726 Americans formerly listed as missing or unaccounted for in Southeast Asia have been identified.