Kadena plans memorial service for airman
Otis Willie
(EXCERPT) By Carlos Bongioanni, Stars and Stripes Pacific edition,
Thursday, October 31, 2002
KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — Kadena officials will hold a memorial
service Friday for an airman who drowned over the weekend.
Senior Airman April Hafner, a public health craftsman with Kadena’s
18th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, drowned Saturday while swimming off
the Manzamo coastline. The popular dive spot is on the western side of
northern Okinawa, south of Nago.
Seas were rough at the time, said a spokesman for the Ishikawa police,
who helped to retrieve Hafner’s body. Military weather officials had
set sea conditions at “warning,” base spokesman Charles Steitz said
Monday. Servicemembers are cautioned to not enter the water in such
conditions, which indicate potentially life-threatening winds of 29
mph or higher, sustained for more than three hours.
“April was a kind and generous individual who believed that the three
most important things in life were family, friends and health,” said
Col. Mark A. Presson, commander of the 18th Medical Group, Kadena Air
Base. “We feel a sadness for her loss, but rejoice in the knowledge of
knowing how many people she touched.”
Equipment installation prevented American Forces Network television
from broadcasting its usual sea condition information Saturday.
Hafner’s was the fifth drowning death in recent months occurring
during rough sea conditions — two of the incidents occurred when
weather warnings were widespread.
In September, one day after Typhoon Rusa passed the island, two
Marines were swept to sea while watching waves crash against the
cliffs at Bolo Point, a popular tourist attraction where a lighthouse
sits on a jagged promontory.
In July, as Typhoon Rammasun approached, two sailors dro...
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Otis Willie
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com