Mood:
sadCasualty devoted himself to Marines
The Kahuku graduate was among the elite troops, his father says
Marine Sgt. Daniel Tsue told his father in an e-mail from Iraq a few weeks ago that he was "still alive" despite some close calls, including one where a bomb went off about 60 feet from him.
Daniel's father, Richard Tsue, said he didn't really know what to think of that. "It was just part of his job."
On Tuesday, Daniel Tsue, 27, a 1996 Kahuku High School graduate, was killed by a roadside bomb in a town about 70 miles west of Baghdad.
His death brought the total to 72 people with island ties who have died in Iraq since the war began in 2003.
The Pentagon said Tsue was killed while conducting combat operations near Ar Ramadi, which has been the target of insurgents. He was assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. His unit was attached to 2nd Force Service Support Group, II MEF (Forward).
Tsue was a victim of a homemade bomb, which the military has said is the biggest killer of American troops in Iraq. Most of the 96 Americans killed last month were victims of roadside bombs.
Daniel Tsue was deployed to Iraq a couple of months ago, his father said, and they kept in touch via e-mail.
Richard Tsue said his son told him he was in one of the most "dangerous areas" of Iraq.
He said his son was supposed to be in Iraq for seven months, but that he had asked to be extended an additional seven.
Richard Tsue thought his son would make a good teacher someday, because he liked to work with kids. He grew up in Moanalua Valley and for a time worked on his family's orchid farm in Pupukea.
But Daniel wanted to be a Marine.
He made that decision while attending the University of Hawaii at Hilo, where he went after graduating from high school. He was there only one semester.
"He came home one day and said ... he would join the Marines," Richard Tsue said. "He maxed the test, everybody wanted him.
"I told him to join the Air Force, but he said he needs the discipline, so he joined the Marines."
Daniel trained somewhere on the East Coast and didn't get leave for two years, his father said.
Daniel told his father that he started in a class of 150 and was one of only four who graduated. He signed up for embassy duty and "got it right away because of his top-secret clearance," Richard Tsue said.
He was initially assigned to Bahrain and then to Bangladesh before being moved to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. "Then he got bored and signed up with EOD (explosive ordinance disposal) school," Richard Tsue said.
His father said it was kind of a privilege to join that. "I was told that was the elite."
Then Daniel went to parachute jump school, which is unusual for a Marine, his father said. "I think he was happy in the Marines."
Tsue wanted to make the Marine Corps a career after enlisting in December 1998, excelling and being chosen as flag bearer in basic training, his uncle, Wayne Tsue, said yesterday.
Wayne Tsue described his nephew as "a really good kid. He was very kind. He liked to play with the younger kids."
His one passion was playing pickup basketball.
"But once he got into the Marine Corps," Wayne Tsue said, "he liked it so much, he hoped to make it a career. ... He was an outstanding Marine."
Daniel Tsue was the 44th Marine with island ties to be killed in Iraq.
His personal awards included the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.
In expressing his condolences, U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie said that Tsue was one of America's finest. "We honor him for his courage, patriotism and devotion to duty," Abercrombie said.
Besides his father, Daniel Tsue is survived by his mother Deborah Takemoto, half-sister Joy Takemoto and half-brother Alex Takemoto, according to his uncle and father.
Funeral services are pending.
Capitol flags to fly at half-staff in memory of Camp Pendleton Marine
.. language=javascript src="/shared-content/adsys/creative.js" type=text/javascript> .. language=javascript type=text/javascript> aAds = new Array(); aAds[0] = new Array(); aAds[0][0] = 'military+story.1'; aAds[0][1] = '18040'; aAds[0][2] = 'js'; aAds[1] = new Array(); aAds[1][0] = 'military+story.1'; aAds[1][1] = '30050'; aAds[1][2] = 'js'; displayAd('http://adsys.townnews.com', 'nctimes.com', aAds); .. src="http://adsys.townnews.com/28698380554159/creative/nctimes.com/military+story.1/18040.js" type=text/javascript>
By: North County Times wire services
SAN DIEGO - Flags at the state Capitol will fly at half-staff in memory of a Camp Pendleton-based Marine killed this week in the Ar Ramadi region of Iraq, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Friday.
Sgt. Daniel Tsue of Honolulu was killed Tuesday by a makeshift bomb as he was conducting combat operations, according to the Department of Defense.
Tsue, 27, was an explosive-ordnance disposal technician with 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I MEF.
Tsue joined the Marine Corps in December 1998. His personal awards include a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon, and Marine Security Guard Ribbon.
"Sgt. Tsue stood proudly beside his fellow Marines and served with fortitude and bravery," Schwarzenegger said. "At this incredibly difficult time, Maria and I want to send our heartfelt condolences to Daniel's family. We are forever indebted to him for his service."
Hawaii Marine Dies In Iraq Attack
POSTED: 10:54 am HST November 3, 2005
UPDATED: 1:09 pm HST November 4, 2005
HONOLULU -- A Marine from Oahu died in an explosion in Iraq on Tuesday, according to the Pentagon.
Sgt. Daniel A. Tsue, 27, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was assigned to Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Tsue was in Ar Ramadi when an improvised explosive device, or IED, detonated while he was in a Humvee.
Tsue attended Moanalua, Waialua and Kahuku high school. He graduated from Kahuku in 1996.
His Waialua classmate May Lagua remembered him as quiet and shy.
"It's kind of sad knowing that one of my classmates passed away, but it's honoring as well, knowing that one of them went to war and actually fought for us," Lagua said.
After graduation Tsue worked at the family nursery in Pupukea. He attended the University of Hawaii at Hilo for a time before joining the military.
His family said he loved the Marines. He gave up guarding an embassy for duty in Iraq.
"He just got caught up in that military mentality. He felt like he was doing the right thing and most of the people in the military feel there is a purpose for being there. I don't think he ever regretted it. I think he was planning to make the military his career. He did something he loved doing," said Wayne Tsue, Daniel's uncle.
Tsue's mother was not up to talking publicly. She said her son had guarded President George W. Bush in New York City and shook his hand. He planned to be back for a Moanalua High School reunion this spring.
Another family member said the sergeant had met a girl overseas. She wanted to marry before he left for Iraq, but he wanted to wait because Iraq was too dangerous, the family member said.
Hawaii Marine Killed in Iraq
Brooks Baehr - bbaehr@kgmb9.com
A 27-year-old Marine from Pupukea on O'ahu's North Shore was killed while on combat duty in Iraq Tuesday. The Pentagon says Sgt. Daniel A. Tsue was killed by an improvised explosive device near the city of Ar Ramadi.
Tsue was based at Camp Pendleton in California.
Tsue graduated from Kahuku High School in 1996. Before transferring to Kahuku in September 1995, Tsue attended Moanalua High and Waialua High.
Teachers and counselors at Kahuku High and Intermediate School remember Tsue as a respectful quiet boy who didn't cause any problems.
"Some of his teachers remember him to be a tall, good-looking boy who was very respectful of his teachers and peers, very quiet," said Kahuku Vice Principal Pat Macadangdang. "As news spread, I know that some of his teachers were deeply saddened and it brought some to tears. Everybody just feels that this is unfortunate. You know, it's part of life and hopefully we can go on and remember him for what he did and what he was here."
Tsue was the son of Richard Tsue and Deborah Takemoto. He is the 72nd person with island ties to die since the war in Iraq began in March 2003.
Leave a comment to honor Daniel Tsue: http://www.fallenheroesmemorial.com/oif/profiles/tsuedaniela.html
http://www.legacy.com/nytimes/Guestbook.asp?Pers..15585418
http://heroesmemorial.blogspot.com/2005/11/daniel-tsue.html
For those of you who don't know why the hell I'm putting up random articles on my site, Daniel Tsue was my second cousin. I never got the chance to meet such a great guy like him, but he's family and I care about family over everything else. Take the time to read the articles and leave a comment to honor a soldier who died for his country
