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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, January 14, 2010

Mäkaha climbing fatality identified as Schofield man

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Garland J. English

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The Army yesterday identified the hiker who fell to his death from a mountain hiking trail in Mäkaha Valley on Sunday as Garland J. English, 29.

English, of Averill Park, N.Y., was a first lieutenant with the Forward Support Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, 8th Theater Sustainment Command. He served in Iraq from November 2008 to December 2009.

He is survived by his mother, Lynne Luft, and his father, Reed English.

Officials said English, who lived in Hale'iwa, fell about 400 feet while rappelling from a ridgeline with another hiker. Officials were told that English was trying to retrieve equipment he had lost during a hike earlier in the week.

The second hiker was airlifted from the ridge.

Rescue personnel located English's body about 5 p.m. Sunday. Because the body was in a difficult area to reach, and with the onset of darkness, personnel recovered his body on Monday morning.