Services set for
442nd reservist Tiai

Memorial services for Staff Sgt. Frank Tiai, the first Army reservist of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, to die in combat in Iraq, will be held Saturday at Kalihi Union Church.

Services will begin at 11 a.m. for Tiai, 45, the oldest member of Charlie Company. He was killed July 17 on patrol near Balad when a homemade bomb exploded near his Humvee. Borthwick Mortuary is handling the services.

Tiai was on his last scheduled patrol before he was to return home for two weeks of leave.

His body will be flown to Pago Pago on Sunday, where services will be held Aug. 4.

Brig. Gen. John Ma, who heads the Pacific Army Reserve, will lead the official delegation, which will fly to American Samoa on a Hawaii Air National Guard KC-135 stratotanker.

Tiai is the fourth member of the 29th Brigade Combat Team to be killed in Iraq. He had been a member of the unit for 22 years.

Charlie Company has been hit hard by injuries from homemade bombs. In April, Spc. Nick Tuiolosega was seriously injured by a homemade bomb that detonated near his Humvee.

Two months later, Spc. Satuala Amoa was critically injured when his vehicle accidentally rolled over, pinning him. Both are recovering at Tripler Army Medical Center.