Previous Story
Cohen: It’s been a sad week for NMI
|
Posted on Nov 08 2005
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs David Cohen said it had been a very sad and trying week for the people of the CNMI, considering that the islands lost two of its native sons during their deployment in war-torn Iraq.
Cohen conveyed his message of condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers during the weekly meeting of the Saipan Rotary Club held yesterday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan.
“Let me express on behalf of the Office of the Insular Affairs our great appreciation to Derence Jack and Wilgene Lieto,” Cohen said. “Our sincere condolences.”
He added that the news of Jack and Lieto’s deaths have been one of the most tragic news he had received about the war.
Cohen said the deaths of the two Army Reservists also brought flashbacks on the death of Eddie Lang Chen, the first CNMI soldier who lost his life in Iraq.
The Department of the Interior official said the public already knows of the sacrifices the Pacific region has shed for maintaining freedom and democracy in that Middle East country. For instance, he said his home islands of American Samoa has 16 times the rate of war casualties compared with the entire nation.
“The Pacific has indeed given more of its share in the war in Iraq,” he said.
The two soldiers from Saipan were killed when a bomb blew up while they were on patrol Monday night (Saipan time). Jack, 31, and Lieto, 28, were both due to come home in less than four months.
Jack and Lieto, who were with the Echo Company, were U.S. Army Reserve members called to active duty in August 2004. Jack was a Gualo Rai resident and worked as cash department manager at Bank of Guam. He was married to Melissa Jack. They had a 4-year-old daughter. Lieto was a police officer from Tanapag. He was married to Tiara Lieto, with whom he had a 4-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter.
The Military Veterans Affairs Office yesterday said that the bodies of the soldiers are scheduled to arrive at the Saipan International Airport within the week. Jack and Lieto will be honored this coming Friday on the occasion of Veterans’ Day at the American Memorial Park Court of Honor.
