Community turns up for sad homecoming

While there was a large crowd at 8:30pm, the numbers of supporters continued to grow as car after car began heading south from the bakery to the airport in search of a place to pull over and welcome the fallen soldiers.

Once they found a place to settle in, onlookers fell silent and turned their heads toward the oncoming headlights each and every time a northbound car came up the road, and they continued to do so for two hours until the appearance of the flashing lights of a DPS motorcycle that alerted everyone to the approaching motorcade carrying the bodies of SPC Derence Jack and Sgt. Wilgene Lieto.

People of all ages and all nationalities lined the candle-lit road with flags and ribbons in front, and the supporters sang softly the CNMI national anthem while their cars lined the shoulder flashing their hazard lights as the procession crept past by.

Included in the crowd were a number of children who joined their parents—some too young to understand what was happening and why they were there while others were wise beyond their years.

Ten-year-old Joseph Atalig said that he didn’t know why they were all gathered along the road; 7-year-old Daisy Anne Reusora said that she thought they were “waiting for the governors.”

Eleven-year-old Desiree Reusora provided a little clarity to her sister by explaining that they were there “to support the two people who died and for the [soldiers] that are fighting for us.”

Before any of the soldiers were honored, 12-year-old Jhaneeka Atalig lit her candle and held a CNMI flag and shared her feelings on the evening’s significance.

“We’re here because the guy that died is a native and like a son to everyone,” she said.

After hearing his cousins talking about their feelings, 7-year-old Jo Jo came up to say that one of the soldiers was his godfather.

“I know one is my Ninu and his name is Uncle John. He’s our uncle and he went to Iraq to go to war, and now he went to another place,” he said.

Already old enough to vote and serve the country, 21-year-old Andave and 18-year-old Angelo Camacho said that they were shocked when they heard that their uncle had died in Iraq; they found out about the homecoming through their family.

“I want to show support. He’s a hero. He’s a hero to all of us,” said Andave.

Thirty-year-old Darren G. Flores, who was with friends and family beneath the flame trees, reflected on the time he spent with his friend Jack before he left for the military.

“Jeff’s a good friend of mine. I’ve known him a long time. I played darts with him on the same team. He used to practice at my house. He’s a real great guy. I’ve known him in school as well. It’s sad that we lost two soldiers, but we’re all supporting the family and our prayers are with them. Everybody I know is down, it’s a silent day out where they’re at and everybody is just out here to pay their respect for the soldiers,” he said.

Thirteen-year-old Dominic Passi said that he has never experienced anything like Wednesday night, but he was not the only one. According to a man many years his senior, the citizens of Saipan have never experienced this type of homecoming for two of its sons despite a history of military service dating back to World War II.

“There are some people who go back 1951 and ’52 who fought in the Korean War, remained in the military, and fought in Vietnam. I have a cousin in Washington who fought in Vietnam. So we’ve been fighting for Uncle Sam for a long time and this is the very first time. The first time ever we’ve had two casualties. That’s why you can see this turnout today. There’s a whole line of people all the way I think to show our appreciation for maintaining freedom and for keeping all of this turmoil abroad instead of on island,” said 73-year-old “Uncle” Dave Sablan from his roadside position.

Sablan’s memories of conflict date back to the days when he and his family lived in a cave for three weeks during the American liberation of Saipan, and he said that, despite the deaths of Jack and Lieto, the people of the CNMI will continue to volunteer for the armed services.

“I think we fully support the—if it’s a war then we fully support the war. I think we want to do our share in the defense. We want to make sure that the United States continues to be a democratic country and we want to make sure that the CNMI continues to enjoy the democracy that we vied for when we became part of the United States in 1978,” he said.

The local sage explained that he expected the large turnout on Wednesday evening because of the impact the loss has had on the relatively small number of people on Saipan.

“I think because we are very sympathetic for the families that lost their sons. It means a lot to us because if you compare it to the United States with that many people compared to the CNMI with the population against the percentage of death—you’ve got two people already; that means a higher percentage per capita,” he said.

While there was no shortage of people willing to share their feelings, 8-year-old Jequinn Aguon of Oleai Elementary School may have said it best. “We’re going to say welcome home to the soldiers—welcome them home to Saipan and to take care of them.”