Dad says pilot
gave his life
for Army
Jeremy Wolfe led cadets while
enrolled in UH's Army ROTC
Former Hawaii student Jeremy Wolfe, one of the Black Hawk helicopter pilots killed Saturday in Iraq, knew the Army would be his life.
Wolfe impressed his teachers and colleagues, especially those at the University of Hawaiiıs Army ROTC ³Warrior Battalion² where he commanded a corps of 125 cadets during his senior year.
³He was an exceptionally good leader,² said retired Lt. Col. Bob Takao, who served as UH professor of military science were Wolfe earned his Army commission. ³His demeanor was impressive. He was courteous and a very respectful person.²
Second Lt. Wolfe, 27, piloted one of two Black Hawk helicopters that collided in Mosul, killing 16 other soldiers. Wolfe was in line to be promoted to first lieutenant on Dec. 1. He was a flight platoon leader with the 101st Aviation Regiment.
He was one of two soldiers with Hawaii ties to die in the collision, which the military has described as the single largest loss of American life in Iraq since major combat ended May 1.
Also killed in the crash was Sgt. 1st Class Kelly Martin Liberato Bolor, who was born in La hai na and had been living in Whittier, Calif., when his Army Reserve unit was activated in January. Memorial services will be held Nov. 28 and 29 in La hai na.
Memorial services for Wolfe were planned for later this week in his Wisconsin hometown.
Wolfe and Bolor were both members of the 101st Airborne Division.
Wolfe attended Hawaii Pacific University on an Army leadership scholarship and was a member of the UH Army ROTC unit, where he met his wife-to-be and fellow Army ROTC cadet, Christine Ta deo, a Moanalua High School graduate.
Wolfe graduated from Hawaii Pacific University in May 2002 with a degree in science and business administration and was sent to helicopter flight school at Fort Rucker, Ala. After spending the summer in England, Wolfe was sent to Iraq in early October.
Ralph Gallogly, assistant dean of Hawaii Pacific Universityıs military campus programs, described Wolfe as being ³very centered. He knew what he wanted to do in the Army. He wanted to fly. He was a type of person any parent would love to have as a son.²
His father, Butch Wolfe, told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune earlier this week that his son knew the Army would be his life even before he graduated from high school in 1996 in Me nomo nie, Wis.
³This was his career. He loved the military, and gave his whole life to it,² Butch Wolfe said.
³Itıs so hard when a father has to bury his son,² he said. ³Iıve lost my son, my best friend, the grandkids Iıll never have. Oh, he loved to fly. Heıd tell me, Dad, I canıt believe theyıre paying me to do this.ı²
Lt. Col. James Johnson, a professor of military science for the UH Army ROTC program, said Wolfe excelled in the areas the Army wants to emphasize: scholarship, athleticism and leadership.
³He had a 3.7 grade-point average,² Johnson said. ³He scored the maximum number of points in the Army physical fitness test, and he was the battalion cadet commander.²
Before his senior year, during his summer leadership camp at Fort Lewis in Washington, Wolfe was singled out as ³one of its distinguished leaders,² said Takao, who now heads Punahou Schoolıs JROTC program.
Takao said that because Wolfe was older and more qualified than most of the ROTC cadets in the Manoa Army program, he commanded a lot of respect. ³They realized his prior service rec ord,² Takao said, ³his demeanor and his military bearing.
³I really canıt say enough about him. He loved his country. He was a patriot. He loved flying with a passion.²
Fellow UH classmate, 2nd Lt. Nainoa Hoe, in an e-mail from Fort Benning, Ga., added, ³His dedication to duty and commitment to his fellow soldiers will be greatly missed by those who knew him.²
