In the Military
For and about Hawaii's servicemen and women
Gregg K. Kakesako
See also: For Your Benefit
25th Infantry gets
assistant division leaderCol. Bernard Champoux, executive assistant to the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been named as a new 25th Infantry Division assistant division commander at Schofield Barracks. Among the other Army assignments announced last week include the promotion of Col. Joe Riojas, a former 25th Division artillery commander, as an assistant division commander for the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Stewart in Georgia. Riojas is currently executive officer to the Army chief of staff.
>>>><<<< Maj. David Peters, executive officer for the Army Reserve's 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, will accompany the Army Reserve's eight-man color guard at the dedication of the Army Reserve Center May 30 in Longare, Italy, to Pvt. 1st Class Sadao Munemori, who received the Medal of Honor posthumously. When his squad leader was wounded, Munemori took command and led his men through a minefield to within 30 yards of an entrenched machine-gun position. Armed with only a half-dozen grenades, Munemori moved through the heavy fire and destroyed both machine guns and wounded two of the German gunners. Returning to his squad, a grenade bounced off his helmet. Munemori fell on the grenade and smothered the explosion with his body. Munemori was an assistant squad leader in Company A of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team's 3rd Battalion during the Po Valley campaign.
>>>><<<< Next month will mark the 18th celebration of the Chamber of Commerce's Hawaii Military Appreciation Month, with the opening ceremonies planned for Friday at the USS Missouri Memorial on Ford Island. Adm. Thomas Fargo, U.S. Pacific Command commander, will be the guest speaker.The seventh annual twilight tattoo will be held at 3 p.m. May 3 at Fort DeRussy, featuring military bands from all the services in the islands. On May 4 the Bishop Museum will open its doors for military families beginning at 9 a.m. Military Family Sunday has a discounted admission at $3 per person or $10 per family of four.
The AT&T Hawaii combined military band concert will begin at 7 p.m. May 17 at the Hawaii Theatre. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets will be available beginning May 2.
The Hale Koa Hotel will host its Salute to the Military Luau on May 19 starting at 5:30 p.m. The annual military recognition luncheon will be held at noon on May 21. Seven of Hawaii's outstanding soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and guardsmen will be recognized.
Moving up
>> Hickam Air Force Base: Brig. Gen. Paul Fletcher has been nominated to the rank of major general while serving as the director, plans and programs at Headquarters Pacific Air Forces.>> Fort Shafter: Brig. Gen. Ronald Johnson, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers' Pacific Ocean Division, received his second star Friday. He will become the chief of military programs at the corps' headquarters in Washington, D.C., in early June.
"In the Military" was compiled from wire reports and other
sources by reporter Gregg K. Kakesako, who covers military affairs for
the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. He can be reached can be reached by phone
at 294-4075 or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.