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AMERICAN SAMOA COMMEMORATES \WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA\ — OUR WAY

About twenty local residents, including a handful of military retirees, represented American Samoa in joining for the first time, the commemoration of Wreaths Across America, last Saturday during a brief ceremony at the American Samoa Veterans Memorial Center in Tafuna.

 

It was a quite cloudy Saturday morning, with winds clocked at 15 mph when the local ceremony began around 5:50a.m — when seven local residents stood a few feet away from the base of the monument, holding seven bouquets of flowers — instead of wreaths — prepared and donated by the SOFIAS, the Sosaiete of Faafafine in American Samoa, four of whom attended the ceremony.

 

The local commemoration was organized this year by the local U.S. Army Reserve Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) Family Program, which volunteered to support efforts and celebration of this special day, spearheaded by Wreaths Across America Organization, a non profit group based in Washington D.C.

 

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Mapu Jamias led other local residents with bouquets of flowers, walking up the short flight of stairs to the base of the monument. The residents represented the six branches of the U.S. Armed Forces — Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine — and one resident represented U.S. service members from all branches of the military whose last known status was either a Prisoner of War or Missing in Action.

 

“On behalf of the United States of America and American Samoa we are here... to honor all of our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, who have fought for our freedom,” Jamias said at the ceremony,before the flowers were placed at the base of the monument. “This is a great tradition.”

 

Jamias, who is also the local Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the U.S. Army, thanked the territorial government and the Memorial Center management for putting together “this special commemoration” to honor those who have served in all branches of the military but have since passed away.

 

Local residents — such as Ben Lausen, Vince Iuli, Moana Hatcher and Taua’a — who represented the branches of the military, spoke briefly, saying that they were at the ceremony to honor and pay tribute to their relatives who served in active duty and have since passed away.

 

Iuli honored his cousin, Marine Lt. Col. Max A. Galeai, an American Samoa native, killed in 2008 in the Iraq war. “God rest his soul,” he said.

 

Jamias added that “I 'd like to honor Army Staff Sgt. Frank Tiai, who was one of my squad leaders in the old days when we started the local Army Reserve.” Tiai died in 2005 in the Iraq war.

 

After the brief statements were made, the representatives stood for a few minutes to observe a moment of silence bowing their heads. When it was 6a.m. in American Samoa the local residents took two steps forward and placed the flowers just inches from the base of the monument.

 

Timing to lay the flowers at 6a.m. local time was synchronized with the 12noon time when holiday wreaths were placed on graves at the Arlington National Ceremony, in Virginia. Similar ceremonies were carried out in other military cemeteries across the U.S.

 

Others who attended the local ceremony were Mareko and Folola Milo, parents of 23-year old US Army Spc. Avealaloleiasasaumani “Ave” Milo, who died in Iraq in 2007 when his unit was attacked by insurgents.

 

While it's very difficult for a parent to deal with the loss of the life of a soldier, Folola Milo said, “I am thankful for them (the soldiers) for offering their service in the name of freedom, in which we have today.”

 

As parents “we will never forget our children in our hearts and soul”, she said, adding that she is very thankful that this day is being made important in American Samoa — to lay a wreath or flowers on graves of those who died in the military.

 

She asked all of American Samoa "not to forget our sons and daughters who made the ultimate sacrifice" and also to pray for our sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, still serving in the Armed Forces.

 

Mareko Milo added, “I didn’t think that my son would leave us so soon, but there is nothing we can do when God calls upon our loved ones. It's very difficult for a parent to lose a child.”

 

Another parent who attended the ceremony was Misitaunese V. Ofagalilo, whose 26-year old son, Ioane John Viliamu Kirifi Ofagalilo of the U.S. Army died in 2001, while stationed in Frankfurt, Germany.

 

Mrs. Ofalilo said that while she is happy with American Samoa for recognizing this important day, it also “brings sadness to me if I think back about my son”.

 

Taua’a told reporters that “all of us have a relative” or a someone that we knew had served in the military who has since passed away. So the importance of the Wreaths Across American Day is to remember them and their service,” he said.

 

During the media interview, Hatcher was just few feet away playing her ukulele and singing the Samoan song, “Mo’omo’oga Sa Molia i Talosaga”, which is an old traditional song that is many times heard during funeral services, especially at the gravesite before the coffin is lowered into the ground.

 

After the interviews, each of the 20 people who attended the ceremony joined Hatcher in singing the Samoan song — bringing the local commemoration, which was without any big fanfare, including government speeches, to a close.

 

Samoa News understands that the local organizer was only contacted less than two weeks before Dec. 13 to put together the local program and allow American Samoa to join in the national commemoration.

 

It's hoped that next year, more people will join the local ceremony.