LIHU‘E — You could see it in the eyes of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren gathered at Vidinha Stadium last night — the generations left behind by the men of the Hawaii Army National Guard’s 299th Infantry, Company A, 2nd Battalion.
LIHU‘E — You could see it in the eyes of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren gathered at Vidinha Stadium last night — the generations left behind by the men of the Hawaii Army National Guard’s 299th Infantry, Company A, 2nd Battalion.
At least 500 people poured onto the small field last night, young and old, some carrying lei, some waving flags, and others carrying heavy hearts as their men readied for war.
Men, indeed.
They were fathers, brothers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers, many of them 20, 30 and even 40-year veterans of their units, standing on stage at parade rest as their children and grandchildren spread out and covered the field. No spring chickens, as they say, but all still game enough to strap on and suit up when the country called.
The last time this unit saw combat was during Vietnam, when a similar batch of men, most of them much younger than those gathered on the field last night, were sent to a land probably far more familiar than the one this new crop will experience.
But they’re ready.
According to Captain Tama Satele, the man in charge of whipping the fighting 299th into shape ever since getting word of deployment a few months ago, they’ve been training, running, lifting, drilling.
For the last two months, these men have been sleeping, eating, and living “ooh-rah” Army life 24-7, chiseling their bodies and preparing their minds. It’s a good thing, too, because these guys are going to need it.
“I’d say only 10 percent of these guys have seen active duty,” Satele said.
Himself a recent active duty veteran, Satele comes from a family of soldiers, and he’s been dragged around from base to base every since he could walk. For him, deployment is a way of life.
“We’ve been P-T’ing everyday, having formation at 6 every morning, running at 6:15,” he said, eyes smiling. “These guys are ready.”
Many of the regiment have already left for various training destinations both in Hawaii and the mainland, and the last contingent will leave this week for O‘ahu and Texas, come home briefly around Christmas, and then head out again for deployment to Iraq some time in February of next year.
It’s the kind of thing all too familiar to Melvin Robley, who 40 years ago found himself shipping out for Vietnam with the same fighting 299th, only he was alone, a single soldier sent to fill the gaps in the ranks. All of the 299th’s soldiers back then were singles, unlike today’s squad, who will probably stay together — and fight together — as a unit. It’s a lot easier that way, says Robley.
One man who’s seen it all is Luke Octavio, 57, who was a cook with the 299th in Vietnam. Today, he’s still in the Army, only this time he’s a supply clerk.
“It gives me chicken skin,” said Joe Catiuan, a retired supply sergeant who served with Octavio in ‘Nam.
Shelley Teraoka, private secretary to Baptiste’s Administrative Assistant Gary Heu, passed out flags and yellow ribbons at the stadium entrance, so the place was festooned when Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste spoke of loyalty, support and commitment to country. The public show of support last night was all organized by the group calling themselves Aloha 299. People met and talked-story with the soldiers after the proud but somber ceremony that lasted until 9 p.m.
Phil Hayworth, Business Editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 251) and phayworth@pulitzer.net
