Our Latest American (Samoan) Hero #87

timothyrvimoto
Originally uploaded by Randuwa

Army Pfc. Timothy R. Vimoto, 19, of Fort Campbell, Ky., died June 5 in Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by insurgents using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne) 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Camp Ederle, Italy.


"Kentucky soldier in Afghanistan dies"

A Kentucky soldier died this week from wounds he suffered in battle in Afghanistan, the Defense Department confirmed late today.

Pfc. Timothy R. Vimoto, 19, of Fort Campbell, died Tuesday from injuries sustained when insurgents hit his unit with small-arms fire in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan, officials said.

“He was not assigned to Fort Campbell, but he was a military child who considered Fort Campbell his home,” said Cathy Grambling, a spokeswoman for Fort Campbell, home to the Army's 101st Airborne Division.

Vimoto’s home base was Camp Ederle, Italy, and he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne) 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

This is the same brigade in which his father serves as a high-ranking officer.

Vimoto, who is of American Samoan ancestry, was the eldest son of Command Sgt. Maj. Isaia T. Vimoto, according to Samoa News, a daily newspaper in the U.S. territory in the South Pacific. His father was formerly the senior adviser to the commander of the 101st, Grambling said.

Isaia Vimoto is now senior adviser for the 173rd Airborne Brigade commander, Col. Charles A. Preysler.

Samoa News reported that Timothy Vimoto is the 13th soldier of Samoan ancestry to die in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Samoans die at a higher rate per capita in Iraq and Afghanistan than residents of any other U.S. state or territory, according to a March 10 Chicago Tribune report about Samoans in the military.