Army Sgt. Sonny J. Moses

Died April 18, 2011 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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22, of Koror, Palau; assigned to 101st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.; died April 18 in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of wounds suffered as a result of an April 16 grenade attack at Forward Operating Base Gamberi, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan.

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Small island nation grieves after soldier’s death

By Oyaol Ngirairikl

(Hagatna, Guam) Pacific Daily News

The Micronesia region has lost another son in the war on terror.

Sgt. Sonny J. Moses of the Republic of Palau died April 18 of wounds suffered during a grenade attack at a military base in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan.

The 22-year-old is the son of retired teachers. He is the brother to two other soldiers who also serve in the U.S. military.

In the midst of grief, the soldier’s father, Sudo Moses, said Sonny Moses loved being a soldier.

“I’m sad he’s gone, but I don’t regret that decision. He did what made him happy — I never understood it, to this day I don’t understand why he wanted to be a soldier, but it made him happy and that’s what mattered,” the Sudo Moses said by phone from Palau.

Sudo Moses said his son Arnold Moses is also in the Army and is stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. One of his older daughters, Deila Moses, is in the Guam Army National Guard.

“I have this fear in my heart, anxiety on my mind, because I think if it can happen to one of my children, then it can happen to the others as well,” Sudo Moses said, adding that being a soldier isn’t something he wanted for Sonny Moses or any of his children.

“But I didn’t want to force him, or any of them, to do what I wanted and end up resenting me later in life.”

According to The Associated Press, the attack occurred on April 16. Moses died two days later in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany.

Palau President Johnson Toribiong said the island nation is saddened.

“Palau has lost another hero. He lost his life in the fight against terrorism. He was a young soldier and Palau is saddened by his death,” Toribiong said. “On behalf of the people of Palau, I extend our deepest condolences to the family of Army Spc. Moses.”

Moses was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant.

Sonny Moses, the youngest of a family of eight children, will be returned to Palau on May 8.

“Arnold, is escorting his body home,” said Sudo Moses. The funeral is expected to be held May 10 in the village state of Ngchesar.

Sudo Moses and his wife, Anemary Moses, are retired teachers, who encouraged their children to be independent, hard working and kind.

“From elementary all the way up to high school he had really good grades,” Sudo Moses said. “When we talked about what he would do after graduation, I suggested he go to college and pursue a career in business.”

Sudo Moses said, looking back, he realized that his son wasn’t committed to the idea, though Sonny Moses didn’t disagree with his father. Almost immediately after graduating, Sonny Moses signed up for the Army. He took all the exams and was shipped out to boot camp in a matter of weeks. “It happened really quickly,” he said.

Condolences

Regional leaders have sent their condolences to the Moses family.

Sudo Moses said his family has found comfort in “knowing that so many people are mourning with us.”

Ambassador Helen Patricia Reed-Rowe of the U.S. Embassy in Palau was among those who sent condolences to the Moses family.

“The American people praise Spc. Moses as a hero of freedom for all of the people of the world and express appreciation to him and the people of the Republic of Palau,” she said.

Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo joined the president of Palau and the U.S. ambassador.

“Our hearts go out to his family. Christine, Ray, Notch and I are praying for them. This young man paid the ultimate price for our freedom. We mourn him as a hero and a brave son of Micronesia.”

Calvo issued the statement also on behalf of Guam first lady Christine Calvo, Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio, and Tenorio’s wife Naoko Shimizu.

Moses was assigned to the 101st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky., according to AP.

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Island nation remembers soldier at state funeral

By Oyaol Ngirairikl

(Hagatna, Guam) Pacific Daily News

Hundreds of people joined the Moses family in a state funeral May 10 in the Republic of Palau to bury a soldier who died April 18.

Sgt. Sonny Moses is the fifth Palauan and 40th son of Micronesia to die under the U.S. flag since 9/11. He left behind a 1-year-old daughter and wife.

Palauan leaders, local diplomats, military leaders and friends joined the Moses family at the National Congress Building to honor the soldier.

Spc. Arnold Moses, the fallen soldier’s older brother who is also in the U.S. Army, said he’s proud of his brother.

“He asked me when he graduated from high school if it would be OK for him to join,” Spc. Moses said. “I told him he was old enough to make that decision for himself, you know — he had to do what made him happy and whatever that was, I told him I’d support him.”

The specialist, who is stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., accompanied his brother’s body from the U.S. mainland to Palau.

Phone call

“I didn’t know what to think at the time, or what to feel,” Spc. Moses said, describing his shock when his sister-in-law called about his brother’s death.

The soldiers’ father, Sudo Moses, said he’s grateful for the support from Guam and the military community since the family received news of his son’s death.

“There were many, many people at the funeral service and there were many wonderful things said about him — it makes me feel good that he will be so well remembered as a good father and husband and soldier,” the dad said.

Sudo Moses has said he hadn’t envisioned the military life for any of his children, but respected the paths they made for themselves.

“He made his decision and didn’t look back. He built his life and did what was right for him and then his family,” Sudo Moses said.

Sonny Moses was assigned to 101st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. He was wounded during a grenade attack April 16 at a military base in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. He died two days later at a hospital in Germany.

Praises

Maj. Gen. Benny Paulino, adjutant general of the Guam National Guard, praised Sgt. Moses. Paulino attended the funeral on behalf of Gen. Martin Dempsey, Army chief of staff, and awarded the sergeant posthumously with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals.

“Sonny Moses lived an exemplary life and perished in the line of duty while deployed to Afghanistan, in this global fight against terrorism, and in support of Operation Enduring Freedom,” Paulino said.

At a packed rotunda, Palau President Johnson Toribiong shared a story of Moses’ exploits as a young soldier and his love for country and freedom.

“We are gathered as a nation to mourn the passing of this brave young man and to offer our condolences, sympathies and prayers because of what he did,” Toribiong said during the state funeral. “He lived his life with honor and sacrificed himself for a greater good, for a cause greater than himself, his family, his home state of Ngchesar and the Republic of Palau. ... Moses made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of our freedom and security.”