Tuesday, February 07, 2006
US Army pilot killed in Iraq buried in RP (4:40 p.m.)
VALENZUELA -- A Philippine-born US Army pilot whose helicopter was shot down in Iraq was buried in his native town Tuesday with full US military honors.
Chief Warrant Officer Ruel Garcia, 34, of Wahiawa, Hawaii, was killed January 16 while assigned to the 4th Infantry Division, based in Fort Hood, Texas.
He received posthumously the Bronze Star, the fourth highest US military award for gallantry in action, as well as the Purple Heart and the Air Medal.
"As these medals demonstrate, his bravery in the field, professional aviation skills, and devotion to his adopted country will always be remembered," the US Embassy said in a statement, as the US Army provided full military burial honors in suburban Valenzuela city, next to his hometown of Obando.
"Chief Garcia made the ultimate sacrifice so that his fellow men can live in peace and freedom," the US embassy said.
Garcia was at least the third Filipino-American soldier killed on duty in Iraq and buried in the Philippines.
"We are grateful as this makes the heaviness in our hearts a little bearable," Garcia's father, Rosendo, told a national paper.
"We believe he died for something good," he added.
The family did not make any statements at Tuesday's burial.
Born in the Philippines on August 24, 1971, Garcia graduated from a Manila college with a degree in electrical engineering before moving to the US in 1987.
He attended the adult high school at Waipahu at nights to get a high school diploma.
With that, he got into the Air Force in 1992, where he served for four years.
After he became a naturalized citizen, he switched to the Army to attend helicopter flight school.
He is survived by his wife, Apple, of Harker Heights, Texas. (AP) |
