SP5 Henry Kalohi

For Memorial Day this year, I published a photo of SP5 Henry Kalohi’s grave marker at the Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) as a tribute to a fellow soldier and friend with whom I served in the 225th Aviation Company (SA). Here is a sequel to that short article. First, here is what I wrote:

“When Karin and I were planning our trip to Hawaii in 2006, I remembered that Henry Kalohi was a Photo Lab Tech (84G20) in our unit in, if my memory serves me correctly, in late 1969. I knew he was from Hawaii, so I looked for his name on the Internet. Sadly, I found it among the listings for the Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) in Honolulu.

“While we were there in April 2007 it took this photo of his grave marker. I don’t know the circumstances around his death. Rest in peace, my friend.”

In June of this year I received the following e-mail: “Gordy, Thanks for your mention of my brother on your 225th Aviation blog. I am very glad he is remembered by someone he had served with in Vietnam. Thank you for stopping by at Punchbowl to pay your respects. That was very, very kind of you. Aloha, Walt Kalohi.”

Walt is Henry’s brother; he was searching the Internet for any mention of Henry and found this blog. I e-mailed Walt and asked him about the circumstances surrounding Henry’s death. He told me, in part, that when Henry returned from Nam, he was deeply affected from the experience. He was saddened by what he saw there, and Walt recalled that there was one particular person who died that really affected him. When he returned from Nam, Henry attended the University of Hawaii as an art major (he was an excellent artist) and shortly thereafter had an “emotional breakdown.” Although he was receiving psychiatric help, in the end, he took his life. Walt concluded that Henry “was a gentle and friendly man.”

That’s how I remember him, as a gentle and friendly man. Walt has sent some pictures that Henry took while at Phu Hiep. I’ve put some of them together for you look at and stir some memories. Thank you Henry for leaving these for all of us.