Pfc. Thomas Ponce, 19, from Maui, was fed Sunday by his friend, Spc. Benjamin West, 21, at the Ibn Sina Hospital in the heavily-fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, a day after they were injured in a rocket attack. MAYA ALLERUZZO | Associated Press

Pfc. Thomas Ponce, 19, a 2006 Maui High graduate, suffered shrapnel wounds to his face and hands and needs eye surgery after a rocket-propelled grenade slammed into his Humvee just above the windshield Saturday in Sadr City.

Wayne Ponce of Pukalani, talked to his son Monday.

"He said he was OK. He was all right. It sounded just like him. He doesn't want us to have to worry about him," Ponce said.

Fears about the seriousness of his son's injuries intensified after Wayne Ponce saw an Associated Press photograph of his son lying in a hospital bed with a bruised and swollen face and bandages around his forehead and both arms.

"He says he's all right. But when you look at the pictures, in reality, he must be in a lot of pain," Wayne Ponce said.

Thomas Ponce – nicknamed "Poncho" by his fellow soldiers, and affectionately called "T.J." at home – was assigned to D Company, 2nd Battalion of the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Ft. Bragg, N.C.

His mother, Jean Ponce of Kahului, confirmed Wednesday that her son was in good spirits despite the uncertainty of whether his injuries would prohibit him from returning to military duty.

Ponce's unit went to Kuwait on Jan. 3, and arrived in Iraq two weeks later. His tour was originally supposed to run through the end of the year, but then was extended to April 2008.

Jean Ponce confirmed that her son and his gunner, who also suffered light shrapnel wounds, were being treated at a U.S. military hospital in Lundstuhl, Germany. Ponce was expected to be transferred to a U.S. Mainland medical facility later this week for eye surgery.

Jean Ponce said she will forward cards sent to her address, 100 Kuualoha St., Kahului, HI 96732.

Keith Isagawa, a special education teacher who served as Ponce's class adviser for four years and as his social studies teacher in his freshman year at Maui High, wasn't surprised to learn about Ponce's positive attitude in such a difficult situation.

"I remember him. He was a good kid. He was a polite kid, always smiling," Isagawa recalled.

Maui High Principal Randy Yamanuha also remembered Ponce, and in particular, recalled him visiting the campus in December shortly before leaving for Iraq.

"If anybody can pull through this, he can," Yamanuha said.

Ponce's ties at Maui High are strong today with his younger brother and his girlfriend both currently enrolled at the campus, according to Yamanuha. The principal and his staff are organizing a card from the entire campus.

"I was kind of in shock, it's like, wow, he was just here and now he's been hurt over there," Yamanuha said.

With Maui thousands of miles away from Iraq, the news about Ponce brought the reality of the war closer to the islands.

"We don't really feel it in Hawai'i, but I think something like this brings the war home. It touches everyone," Isagawa said.

Axia Lau, a Spanish teacher at Maui High, first met Ponce last December when he visited the campus to be with his girlfriend before heading off to Iraq.

"He was really trying to comfort her and let her know everything would be OK," Lau recalled.

Lau said she's been opposed to U.S. involvement in Iraq from the beginning, but as a teacher believed in exposing her students to all sides. At her request, Ponce addressed Lau's students and spoke enthusiastically about a career in the Army and serving in defense of his country.

Lau was struck by Ponce and his confident manner and attitude about serving in Iraq.

"It's hard not to be impressed and affected by his convictions," Lau said. "I started wondering how two people could have such differing views about this issue."

Lau said she expects to spend some of her class time today talking about Ponce and the war in general.

"It makes me so very sad and angry at the same time," she said.

Wayne Ponce said he's been fielding lots of telephone calls from people expressing their best wishes for his son's full recovery.

"He's a good kid. He's a well-respected kid."

Thomas Ponce was 5 years old when his parents divorced. He's been a student at Kahului Elementary School, Maui Waena

Intermediate School and then Maui High. In high school, he was a member of the soccer team and stood out as a "very loyal and respectful" athlete, Yamanuha said.

Ponce enlisted in the Army during his junior year in high school, signing up for a three-year commitment.