Sgt. David Gutierrez, wife Patricia, and sons Andrew, 6, and Jeremiah, 5 months, came to Hawai‘i in October 2001. Gutierrez, who grew up in San Jose, Calif., is in Iraq with the Wolfhounds of Company B, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment. |
By Patricia Gutierrez
This is my husband, Sgt. David Gutierrez of Bravo Company, 1-27 WOLFHOUNDS! He's stationed in Iraq, and we miss him terribly. Not only is he a wonderful father to Andrew, 6, and Jeremiah, 5 months, he is a terrific husband, a brave man and an outstanding soldier.
David has been in the Army for six years now and I'm proud to say that he is trustworthy and responsible. I know as long as my husband is there, his team is safe.
David grew up in San Jose, Calif., and we moved to beautiful Hawai'i in October 2001. We are very, very proud of you, Honey, and we anxiously await your safe return. God Bless you always with lots of aloha!
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Spc. Shawn Gorman |
By Maryanne Gorman
My husband, Spc. Shawn Gorman, is with the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment Wolfhounds in Iraq. He is the armorer for his company. He is a very hard worker and doesn't get much credit for what he does. I wish him well and hope that one day someone sees all the stuff that he does and rewards him for it.
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My son Mark Philip de Guzman is a 20-year-old Army soldier stationed in Tikrit, Iraq. He enlisted into the Army as soon as he graduated from Waipahu High School in 2001. Mark is a specialist in mechanics and a member of the 4th Infantry Division.
Mark is proud to be serving his country and, most importantly, never forgets that he is just a local boy from the Islands. Joining the military was an unexpected and life-changing decision. The war operation in Iraq has drastically influenced his perspective on life when compared with his comfortable life in Hawai'i.
He has constantly mentioned to his family that although he is physically in the midst of a war, he is grateful for his experiences and this opportunity for self-growth. He understands that being in a war is a scary reality, but what keeps him hanging on are the prayers, letters and words of encouragement from family and friends.
Mark prays that he and other U.S. troops return home safely, and he sends his aloha to his family, friends and the Hawai'i community. Mark's caring heart and strong spirit is missed. His family praises his bravery and the courage that the other U.S. soldiers have during this time of conflict.
— By Zenaida de Guzman
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Wesley Gass |
Our grandson Wesley Gass is serving in Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division.
Wesley graduated from the University of Hawai'i in 1999. After graduation, he returned to Virginia, where he was raised. He enlisted in the Army in 2001 and served in Germany.
On Feb. 14, he shipped out from Fort Stewart in Georgia for Kuwait and then on to the war. Now he's in Baghdad, Iraq, with the tank troops.
With the intensity of the war diminishing, hopefully we'll be hearing or seeing him soon.
His mother was born and raised in 'Aiea and Wesley spent some summer vacations with us.
— Walter and Sadie Yamada
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Sean Gallagher, a Kalaheo High graduate, and his wife, Stormy, are in the Air Force. Sean travels between Italy and Iraq; Stormy is stationed in Colorado.
Gallagher family photo
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I am very proud of our two! My son, Sean Gallagher, is in the Air Force with specialized skills in base security and load factoring air cargo flights from Aviano Air Force Base in Italy and a secured air field in Iraq. He travels regularly between the two bases.
His wife, Stormy, recently graduated from Air Force training in San Antonio and is stationed in Cheyenne Mountain, Colo., where she is a computer specialist.
Sean, 27, is a graduate of Kalaheo High School and has been in the Air Force for four years. He met Stormy, a native of Montana, when he was stationed there at Malmstrom Air Force Base. They have been married for two years.
Great kids. Great country. We are so very proud of them both.
— Mike Gallagher
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Marine Lance Cpl. Keoki Gandeza |
My son, Marine Lance Cpl. Keoki Gandeza, is serving with his motor pool transport unit in Al Kut, between Baghdad and Nasiriyah. The Marines are also involved with humanitarian assistance, providing food to civilians.
Keoki's unit left Camp Lejeune, N.C., in January.
He was raised on Maui and moved to O'ahu, graduating from Waipahu High School in 2000. He lettered in football and track and in his senior year won the OIA 145-pound wrestling title.
He follows in the footsteps of a family of Marines. I am a retired Marine combat platoon sergeant (Vietnam). There also are his grandfather, Gunnery Sgt. Keoki Clark (Korean and Vietnam) and third cousins Staff Sgt. John Gandeza (Silver Star in Vietnam) and Gunnery Sgt. James Gandeza.
The 'ohana prays daily for its "devil dog" to receive God's protection and to return home to tank a cold Heineken with us waiting Leathernecks. We miss ya. Aloha son — Semper Fidelis.
— Elbin Gandeza Sr.
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Pfc. Amanda Gino says goodbye to college friends.
Gino family photo
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Our daughter, Amanda Gino, is serving our country at Camp Udairi in Kuwait, 10 miles from the border with Iraq. Amanda, 19, is a graduate of Kaiser High School's class of 2001.
She was attending the University of Wisconsin and was just 1 1/2 weeks into her first semester as a freshman when she was activated as a member of the Wisconsin National Guard.
Her unit was deployed from Fort McCoy in Madison, Wis., and Amanda arrived in Kuwait just days after the war started.
Amanda writes in her letters that it is very humbling being there and she misses us all very much.
Her family — mom Annie, dad Antonio, sister Alissa and brother Alex — misses her terribly.
We have no information on when she will come home.
We hope it is this summer, so she can be back in school in the fall.
— By Annie Gino
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From left, Airman 1st Class Kristin Theineman, Master Sgt. Don Pigg, Staff Sgt. Greg Brannan and Master Sgt. Mark Gusky give the shaka sign in this photo taken just before the war started. All four are stationed with the 15th Civil Engineering Squadron and are nuclear, biological and chemical warfare specialists from Hickam Air Force Base.
— Greg Brannan and Nicole Gust-Brannan
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Joseph Leon Guerrero photo |
These sailors aboard the USS O'Kane (DDG-77) doing maintenance on the ship's mast are, from left: ET3 Joseph Leon Guerrero from 'Aiea; ET3 Andrew Dycus from Tennessee; and IC3 James Kesterson from Missouri. The O'Kane is in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. |
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If you know someone in the military from or based in Hawai'i serving our country in the Persian Gulf, please send us a photo and a few words about him or her to: alohatroops@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Submissions may be published or distributed in print, electronic and other forms.
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Aloha Troops
