3 isle guard men to spend
3rd Christmas in war zone

The aviators are with 200 Hawaii
soldiers who were deployed to fight
in Iraq for a year

Three Hawaii Army National Guard aviators will be spending their third Christmas in a combat zone.

They are among the 200 Hawaii Army National Guard soldiers who left the islands in April to fight in Iraq for a year. They are stationed at Balad which is north of Baghdad and have completed two-thirds of their deployment.

First Sgt. Sonny Gollero - the highest ranking non-commissioned officer in Charlie Company, 193rd Aviation - was with the 1st Cavalry when he spent his first two Christmases in the war zone of Vietnam.

"Christmas is always missed by the soldiers," said Gollero, 57, "but it's our camaraderie that keeps us together since we know we've got a mission to do. We know we just have to do it. But we do miss being with family and friends," he said by phone from Iraq today.

Chief Warrant Officer Jack Sharkey, 62, was a Marine Corps 4-F Phantom jet fighter pilot when he missed his first two Christmas holidays while flying missions over South Vietnam.

"In 1968 there was a Christmas Day bombing halt," said Sharkey who has been in the military for 32 years. "I don't think it did us any good since the enemy was given time to reload their missiles.

"This time we are going to fly right through the holidays."

For the past 10 months the 193rd has been assigned to an aviation task force moving supplies, soldiers and equipment throughout northern Iraq. Today, they hosted Maj. Gen. Bob Lee, state adjutant general who commands both the Hawaii Army and Air National Guard.

Chief Warrant Officer Oliver Kaloi, 56, flew UH-1 Huey and Cobra gunship helicopters in Vietnam.

He says he tries to help Charlie Company's younger soldiers - who are in a combat for the first time - by telling them "to take their mind off Christmas."

The 38-year Army veteran notes that Army life has changed a lot during the years he has served.

"One of the differences between then and now," Kaloi added, "is that alcohol was allowed in Vietnam and it isn't allowed here. That's how we celebrated Christmas then."

Other wars have separated soldiers from their loved ones at home.

Lt. Col. Ben Fuata, 43, said in 1991 "it was easier from me to find the three wisemen since I was in the open desert."

Fuata ran a company of soldiers in the 2nd Armored Division during the 1991 Desert Storm campaign and was responsible for maintaining 34 aircraft.

He said this war-zone Christmas will be different.

"In the Hawaii National Guard it's like you're in a little ohana," said Fuata, 43. "We share memories. We also share sadness and misery."

Maj. Joe Laurel, the commanding officer of Charlie Company, said Dec. 25 will be just another work day.

"We'll continue our missions and fly on Christmas day. It'll probably be just another day like it was on Thanksgiving."

Laurel said he expects there will be some sort of Christmas day dinner next weekend at the Army mess hall.

But other than that, nothing special is planned.