The remains of U.S. Army Pfc. Dante Taitano arrived on Guam Wednesday evening, according to his uncle, Willy Flores.
As of Thursday, no official public statement had been released and memorial service plans have not been announced.
Taitano, originally from Dededo, was one of four soldiers who died in late March during a training mission near Pabradė, Lithuania. All four were assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Stewart, Georgia.
As the Pacific Daily News reported, the soldiers had been inside an armored vehicle during a tactical training exercise when they and their vehicle were reported missing on March 25.
Three of the soldiers, including Taitano, were found nearly a week later on March 31. The fourth, Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, 28, was found on April 1.
Taitano attended Okkodo High School and had served in the Army for two years. Lithuania was his first deployment.
As the island mourns his loss, a fundraising effort to support his family has become entangled in an internal dispute.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by Justine and Krystale Oruga has paused donations temporarily, citing family conflict and emotional toll.
“Right now, we are just waiting for GoFundMe to verify our banking information and after that we are disbursing the funds to the family. We paused the donation drive since it’s causing stress to me and my family by getting dragged to an ongoing family issue,” Justine Oruga stated on the fundraising page. “We don’t want to get dragged into it deeper. This isn’t the way we would like to commemorate and honor Dante’s legacy ... We did this with the good of our hearts.”
As of Thursday, Guam time, the campaign had raised $19,585.
Oruga told the PDN earlier this month that although he did not know Taitano personally, he felt compelled to help support his family.
Oruga had personal ties to the two other soldiers who died in the same accident — Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr. and Sgt. Edvin F. Franco.
(2) comments
To think our President of the United States would rather entertain and play golf in Florida with the Saudi Arabia's team rather than attend a Funeral for our fallen Solidiers in Delaware, is a disregard and disrespect for our four US Men & their families. Trump has no RESPECT.
Как-то это не по честному к боевом товарищу отдавшему свою жизнь защищая страну и давшему присягу на верность США. Кто согласен, что должна быть официальная церемония освещённая в новостях?
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