Army Pfc. Timothy R. Vimoto

Died June 5, 2007 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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19, of Fort Campbell, Ky.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne) 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Camp Ederle, Italy; died June 5 in Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by insurgents using small-arms fire.

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Fort Campbell-based soldier killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — A soldier based at Fort Campbell died this week from wounds he suffered in battle in Afghanistan, the military said June 9.

Pfc. Timothy R. Vimoto, 19, died June 5 from injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.

Vimoto’s home base was Camp Ederle, Italy, and he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne) 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

Vimoto’s father, Command Sgt. Maj. Isaia T. Vimoto, was formerly the senior adviser to the commander of the 101st Airborne, which is based at Fort Campbell, said Kathy Gramling, a spokeswoman at the Army post.

Isaia Vimoto is now senior adviser for the 173rd Airborne Brigade commander.

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Soldier killed in Afghanistan followed father into service

The Associated Press

Army Sgt. Andy Short remembered assigning Pfc. Timothy R. Vimoto a simple task shortly after he arrived on post. The task wasn’t as simple as it first appeared, but Vimoto accomplished it and did it quickly and well.

“No matter what Vimoto was doing, he had a smile on his face,” Short said.

Vimoto, 19, of Fort Campbell, Ky., was killed June 5 in Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, by small-arms fire. He was a 2006 high school graduate and was assigned to Camp Ederle, Italy.

“I miss you so much words just can’t even explain it. Your time here with us before you left went by so fast, yet so precious. You have made an impact on everyone you’ve come across. I know you will be missed by so many people,” wrote Vimoto’s second-oldest sister, Brina, on her MySpace page.

Vimoto was the oldest son of the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s top enlisted soldier, Command Sgt. Maj. Isaia Vimoto.

“Throughout his childhood, he watched his father train, deploy, redeploy and develop into one of the strongest leaders in the Army,” said Capt. Matthew Heimerle, the battalion’s rear detachment commander.

He also is survived by his mother, Misimua.