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A time of remembrance
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Posted on Sep 24 2008
[B]WASHINGTON, D.C.[/B]—Traveling from the island of Rota to the nation’s capital, Jose Charfauros, wife Ana, and son Sonny joined more than 4,000 Americans on the grounds of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. in a national tribute to the nation’s fallen and the families they left behind. The tribute was a celebration of the lives of those who died for freedom and a celebration of that freedom.
Jose and Ana Charfauros are the parents of Cpl. Joe Junior Gogue Charfauros Jr., the first Iraq war casualty from Rota. Charfauros was one of the U.S. soldiers killed on June 20, 2007, in Baghdad, Iraq, following injuries from an improvised explosive device that blew off near their vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment; Second Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Besides his wife Stellita, he is also survived by his three children: Mikeangela, Junelle and Joe II.
Charfauros was the third CNMI resident to die in Iraq last year and is the sixth casualty from the Commonwealth, following the previous five deaths of Sgt. Yihiyh “Eddie” Chen, Staff Sgt. Wilgene Lieto, Cpl. Derence Jack, Lance Cpl. Adam Quitugua Emul, and Cpl. Lee Roy Camacho.
The purpose of the celebration was to unite all Americans in remembrance, honoring all those who died to protect the United States and included a special tribute to more than 200 children who lost their parents in Operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom.
Family members from every state as well as Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, Guam and the CNMI whose relatives died in American conflicts from the Revolutionary War to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraq Freedom were in attendance.
In a statement to the Charfauros family, Resident Representative Pete A. Tenorio said: “Our citizens in the Commonwealth join you and our fellow Americans in our nation’s capital in this landmark event paying tribute to America’s fallen heroes and the families they left behind. Nothing can be said that will ease the pain or erase the burden of your grief. We celebrate, however, the magnificent legacy of love of country, family, friends, and freedom your loved ones left to us.” [B][I](PR)[/I][/B]
