6K mourn fallen soldiers

An estimated 6,000 people thronged the highway leading to Saipan’s airport Wednesday evening when the bodies of SPC Derence Jack and Sgt. Wilgene Lieto were flown in aboard a Continental cargo plane from Philadelphia.

Community organizations and government agencies joined hands as they lined up along the airport road from the Francisco C. Ada Saipan International Airport all the way down to Herman’s Bakery to pay their respects to the two soldiers, who were both killed in Iraq on Oct. 31. A long line of candles and cars’ signal lights lit up the road as the vehicles carrying the bodies passed by.

The bodies of Jack and Lieto were supposed to be flown in at 7:30pm but this was delayed until around 9:45pm. Families, close relatives, and friends were first given the chance to pay their respect to the soldiers, with a private viewing of the remains inside the airport.

Military Veterans Affairs Office executive officer Ruth Coleman, who was among those allowed inside the airport, said the arrival of both soldiers’ remains is probably “the saddest event” in the CNMI. She said both spouses of Jack and Lieto are taking the deaths of their husbands very hard.

Coleman said Melissa Jack and Tiara Lieto both cried when they saw the caskets of their husbands. The scene was repeated over and over by family members and friends that gathered at the airport.

“Tears overflowed that moment,” said Colemen, who disclosed that she also had to control her emotions. “Everything was a blur. It’s really heartbreaking,” she said. “Everyone had goose bumps, particularly when the people inside the room spontaneously sang the CNMI anthem.”

Gov. Juan N. Babauta, Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente, and Deputy Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs David Cohen were among those present for the arrival of Jack and Lieto’s remains. Bishop Tomas A. Camacho blessed the caskets of the fallen soldiers.

The ceremony also included full military honors by the Department of Public Safety, with police officers escorting the bodies from the airport to the Commonwealth Health Center. Lieto was a police officer at the DPS.

Jack, 31, and Lieto, 28, were killed when a bomb blew up while they were on patrol in Balad, Iraq Monday night (Saipan time). They were both due to come home in less than four months.

The two members of Echo Company were among the U.S. Army reservists called to active duty in August 2004. They left for a one-year tour of duty in Iraq in January 2005.

The two soldiers would be honored on Veterans Day on Nov. 11 at the American Memorial Park’s Court of Honor.

Jack was a Gualo Rai resident and worked as cash department manager at Bank of Guam. Lieto was a police officer from Tanapag. Initial reports showed that the two soldiers were on patrol when an improvised explosive device blew up and hit their vehicle Monday morning in Iraq (evening on Saipan).

Showing their respects

Besides the thousands of families gathered along the airport road, some cars also lined up along San Jose Road to show their support for the soldiers.

VFW Post 3457 director Barry Hirshbein said the vigil was a simple yet beautiful way of showing their support for the families of Jack and Lieto. “VFW Saipan Post 3457 supports this [candlelight vigil] project,” Hirshbein said.

Hirshbein had asked friends, colleagues and community members Wednesday to use e-mail and telephones to contact extended families, friends, and coworkers to advise them of the vigil.

David and Rose Ayuyu and family started lining up with other families at 8pm. They said they went down to the airport road to show support for the families of the fallen soldiers. “We are moved by the support of the community. We are here to support the heroes of the CNMI,” David Ayuyu said.

Yvonne Moses Ulechong was teary eyed during the vigil. She said she could not help but get emotional that night because her oldest daughter is also serving in Iraq.

“My daughter Nicole has been in Iraq for seven months now. She is only 21 years old. We are here to support the families who lost their loved ones,” Ulechong said. “We are hoping for peace.”

60th Anniversary of Battle of Tinian committee chair Jerry Facey said the vigil proved to be the most moving event in the CNMI. “It was such a turnout of solemnity in the air. It was just heavy,” he said.

Lawmakers also joined the vigil. Reps. Rey Tebuteb and Joe Guerrero brought their families and lined up their cars among thousands along airport road. Tebuteb said the support of the people was “just overwhelming.” He added that the mourning did not just start during the vigil but when the CNMI community learned about the loss of its brave soldiers.

Jack’s interment will be held today. His remains will be open for public viewing at 8am inside Mt. Carmel Cathedral. Mass and Christian burial will be at 3pm followed by interment service at 4pm at the Mt. Carmel Cemetery.

Lieto’s interment will be held tomorrow. His remains will be transferred from Nuestra Senora dela Paz Memorial Chapel to Bithen Delos Remedios Church in Tanapag at 7am. Public viewing will be at 9:30am to 10:30am only. Mass will be celebrated at 11am followed by the interment service at 12pm at Tanapag Cemetery.