Aumua Honors Fallen Soldier
Washington D.C. – Monday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata, honored a fallen American Samoan soldier by placing a wreath at the Vietnam War Memorial and submitting the following Statement for the Congressional Record.
Aumua Amata, her staff and members of our Armed Forces in front of the Vietnam War Memorial
"Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Staff Sergeant (SSGT) Faleagafulu Ilaoa, who lost his life while serving our great nation.
Ilaoa, whose parents hailed from the village of Leone, American Samoa was born on April 6, 1948, in San Francisco, CA. SSGT Ilaoa spent his youth like many of us do…dreaming of one day serving his country in our armed forces. Never to be deterred from his goals; following graduation from high school, Ilaoa joined the Air Force as a Military Policeman. These men not only serve as police officers to their fellow service members, but also participated in rescue operations, often in hostile territory.
On Monday, May 13, 1975, the U.S. merchant ship Mayaguez was seized by Khmer Rouge forces off the coast of Cambodia. The following evening a rescue operation to save those on board the merchant vessel was launched by the Air Force's 56th Security Police Squadron (SPS).
At around 8:30 in the evening, on route to the Mayaguez, the Chinook helicopter carrying the 23 security police operators, including SSGT Ilaoa disappeared from radar approximately 40 miles from their base in a remote area of Northwest Thailand. To this day, the cause of the crash, whether it was mechanical malfunction, pilot error or enemy fire, is not known.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to join me recognizing the sacrifice of all who lost their lives on this mission and I personally would like to salute SSGT Ilaoa for his service to our nation and the proud legacy he left for all American Samoans."
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Ua Maliliu Toa Ua Maumau Ai Au'upega o le Taua
Washington D.C. Monday, May 18, 2015
Na taua'ao e le afioga i le Faipule o le Konekeresi mai Amerika Samoa le Tofa a Aumua Amata le teufugala'au i le Ma'afa'amanatu o e na Maliliu i le Taua i Vietnam (Vietnam War Memorial) ma saunoa aloia ai mo fa'amaumauga a le Konekeresi.
Aumua Amata, her staff and members of our Armed Forces in front of the Vietnam War Memorial
Afioga I le faipule i le Konekeresi Aumua AMATA ma le aufaigaluega ma sui o a tatou Vaega'au i le Ma'afa'amanatu o le Taua i Vietnam.
"Lau Afioga i le Fofoga Fetalai, ou te tula'i ma le migao e manatua le ali'i Satini (SSGT) o Faleagafulu Ilaoa, ua masoe i le ala ona o le tautuaina o le malo tele.
O tua'a o Ilaoa e mai le afioaga o Leone (le Afio a o le Fa'atui o le Motu ia Tuitele,Faiivae o le Maluolefale, Tama Matua ia Olo ma Leoso, ma Vae o le To'oto'o ia Fiu ma Maiava, Avegalio ma Tuiteleleapaga ma le fetalaiga ia Salave'a ma Salave'a ma upu ia Fofo ma le Alataua, na soifua mai ia Aperila 6, 1948 i San Francisco, CA. I lona soifua a o talavou sa i ai lana fa'alepo e pei o le to'atele o tatou, ia o'o mai se aso e tautua ai i lona atunu'u e ala i ana vaega'au. E le'i tu'umamaina ia Ilaoa le sini sa i ona luma; ina ua fa'au'u mai le aoga maualuga, sa auai loa Ilaoa o se Leoleo a le Militeri I le ‘Ea Fosi (Air Force). O i latou nei sa le gata i le tautua i fitafita sa latou tauto fa'atasi, a e sa auai fo'i i galuega fesoasoani e fa'asao tagata afaina, i nu'u ese.
O le Aso Gafua, Me 13, 1975, sa pu'e ai e vaega a le Khmer Rouge le va'a la'u oloa o le Unaite Setete I le gataifale o Cambodia. O le afiafi o le aso na soso'o ai sa auina atu loa se vaega lavea'i mai le vaega a le Air Force (Air Force 56th Security Police Squadron) e fa'asao i latou sa i luga o le va'a.
Tusa o le itula e 8:30 o le po lea, a o aga'i atu i le va'a o le Mayaguez sa mou atu ai loa le va'alele/helikopa lea na malaga atu ai leoleo o le militeri e aofia ai ma le Satini (SSGT) o Ilaoa mai le radar tusa lea o le 40 maila mai le nofoaga sa fa'amautu i ai la latou vaega i se vaega mamao ese i Matu I Sasae o Thailand. E o'o mai I le aso, e le o iloa le mafuaga po o le afi, pailate po o ni pulufana mai le fili.
Lau Afioga I le Fofoga Fetalai, Ou te tatalo atu i Faipule uma o le Maota o Sui o le Unaite Setete ina ia auai fa'atasi ma a'u e aloa'ia le tautua toto/ola ma i latou uma ua maumau lo latou soifua i lenei fa'alavelave ma e to lo'u pulou ia Satini Ilaoa ona o lana taulaga soifua ma le tautua toto i lo tatou malo ma o se mitamitaga mo tagatanu'u uma o Amerika Samoa."