Mourners, kin praise 'guardian angel' GI

Henry Kahalewai Jr., hit by a bomb in Iraq, to be buried in Hilo

HILO » As Staff Sgt. Henry Kahalewai Jr. lay heavily sedated in an Army hospital in Texas, trying to recover from wounds received in Iraq, he told his daughter Azhalane he was having visions of protecting his men.

"He could see himself back in the Stryker. He was able to see all the explosive devices. He was their guardian angel," Army Chaplain Jay Clark told mourners at Kahalewai's funeral last night.

Kahalewai, who was raised in Hilo, was hit by a roadside bomb in Baghdad on Nov. 21. He died in Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio on Dec. 15. He was to be buried today at the state Veteran's Cemetery in Hilo.

At the service last night, messages were read from Gov. Linda Lingle, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye and state Rep. Clifton Tsuji. A bugler played taps toward the end of the service, as comrades and relatives spoke of a man who put others above himself.

As his wounds failed to heal in Texas, he told Azhalane, "Don't worry about me. Just take care of your mother and sisters," Clark said.

He was also concerned about his own dignity, insisting on shaving himself as long as he could, Clark said.

He had won the affection of his men. "Henry's soldiers followed him just because they didn't want to disappoint his kindness," Clark said.

Kahalewai also had the respect of his children. Daughter Alishia told her father how she had enrolled in Junior ROTC and been promoted to platoon sergeant.

His son Aaron regretted that his father was gone before Aaron was old enough to drink beer with him, man to man, Clark said.

His wife, Debbie, told Clark how grateful she was that she could be at her husband's bedside during the final weeks of his life. He read the Bible a lot, Clark said. When his wife couldn't understand a passage from the Bible, he would explain it to her.

Debbie wants to return to being a pediatric nurse. "She's going to finish the degree he wanted her to finish," Clark said.

Hilo-born Kahalewai met Debbie in high school, but when he joined the Army, he left Hawaii. The family lived in recent years at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Kahalewai had served two tours of duty in Kuwait during Desert Storm and was serving a second tour in Iraq when he was hit.

He came home for about six months between the tours. He loved fishing, outdoor life, diving and camping. "He loved yard work, if you can believe that," Clark said. With 19 years in the Army, he was looking forward to retiring in his 20th year, so he could come home to do yard work, Clark joked.

Azhalane, his daughter, remembered how they'd make late-night trips out for ice cream and dessert.

Now "his big, precious wings are wrapped around us all," she said.

Alishia said: "Daddy, I know you're here with us all, being our guardian angel. I'm glad you're in a better place where we know you're safe."