DID YOU KNOW THIS GUY, THIS CLASSMATE?
DO YOU REMEMBER THIS HERO?
Perhaps you played with him during what was called “small kid time” and “hana-buttah days”, Maybe you lived near him, and he might have been a friend or neighborhood acquaintance of yours. Or maybe you rode the bus with him to school. Perchance you were in his Academic class in high school; maybe you were also, like him, a catholic parishioner of Our Lady of Peace Parish. You might have been a teammate with him on the football and baseball and basketball teams – both on the high school J.V. and Varsity squads? A Sodality member too?
He was a regular guy; a Filipino kid that grew up mostly on Molokai with his grandparents. He also lived in the Salt Lake area (of Oahu) at 1033 Puolu Dr., not too far from the Navy Public Works Center buildings along Salt Lake Blvd. During high school, he was called “Bob” and “Bobby” and "Sonny" and “Cali” and “Colonel”. In the school's Army R.O.T.C. Program, he was the “Senior Officer”, the Regimental Commander. And when he graduated from St. Louis College (that's what the school was named back then –not St. Louis High School) in Hawaii in 1955, his home phone number was only 5 numbers long –40728.
Sometimes shy and sometimes outright gregarious. Rugged, but wise too; spoke up but was not outspoken. Helpful and caring; ever wishing to excel; ever mindful of his family and how much they meant to him. Education was the primary goal – success in life and living were offshoots. Then too, he was a fairly good looking guy who was very athletic and had an outgoing personality, so there was no “problem” attracting female friends. Oh yah, he was a really smart guy too!
He was born on February 13th, 1937 and would be 75 years old now. Upon graduating from high school in 1955, he went on to Dayton University (Dayton, Ohio) on a football scholarship. He was a “halfback”. He met and married the love of his life, Susan, a student at the university. A new family, in God's name was beginning.
His college football days ended rather abruptly when he broke both his arms during his Sophomore year, but continued his education and maintained his activity with the university's Army R.O.T.C. Program. On graduation, in 1960, he had a B. A. in Business, had obtained an aircraft pilot's license, and was a 2nd Lt. In the U. S. Army. He and his wife embarked on their military and family journey; had three daughters (Kim – Malia - Susan) and had completed an overseas duty assignment in Germany. Promotions to 1st Lt. and then to Captain were quickly attained. They were returning to a new home in Kettering, Ohio. Then, a new assignment for him – Vietnam. He headed off to war, knowing, with a degree of misgiving, that his wife Susan and their three children would be OK, but burdened without him.
Bobby arrived “in country” (Vietnam) on February 19, 1966. He was an Army Captain, assigned to Company “A”, 1st Aviation Battalion, with”title” of Huey (helicopter) gunship pilot.
This fearless 28-year-old Filipino American soldier from Hawaii would write to his family, on the day after his arrival in Vietnam, that “right now as I'm writing you, sitting in my tent, I can hear mortar rounds going off in the distance and I hope it stays in the distance. I sure miss my family a whole lot”! Fearless, but vulnerable and cautious, and trusting to God.
Have you figured out the identity of this guy? Remember “Bobby”? You surely remember Robert Maluenda CALIBOSO – don't you? Yes, yes, its' been a really long time since “those days”. Just maybe, you were one of the fortunate persons to receive Bobby's graciousness and guidance? Did he help you out when you needed help? Read on – he helped us all out, including his family, his country, his God and all of mankind!
On March 5th, 1966, from the Combat Command Center of the 1st Aviation Battalion, came the situation of a 400+ U. S. Army infantry unit that was surrounded by 1,200 Viet Cong forces. The infantry unit was in dire need of help, especially their need for ammunition replenishment. The enemy was so close to the American units, that mortar and supporting artillery fire was ineffective and was almost “directly upon the Americans”. Loading up the appropriate ammunition, and then delivering it into the middle of a raging jungle battle was extremely hazardous and would call for the Huey to be exposed to withering Viet Cong machine gun fire. It was essentially a “suicide mission”. But – the troops needed help, real help, and Captain Caliboso and his three man crew knew the situation, and still volunteered to deliver 1500 pounds of explosive cargo and ammunition into the battle area! -oooooo- On approach to the landing zone, the helicopter and crew were hit over and over again by heavy machine gun and small arms fire. The closer Capt. Caliboso massaged his Huey to the ground, the bigger the target he became. All four men aboard the helicopter had been seriously wounded, but were able to successfully unload the ammunition ..................”Lift off” - “Lift off” was shouted, and Caliboso mightily coaxed his wounded Huey to lift off and take them out of the battle area!!! Climbing; struggling to gain altitude – and then, in an instant, the helicopter was shot down, killing all aboard. (Note: excerpts taken from an article in the Dayton Daily Newspaper of May 24, 2009)
A Vietnam veteran that was a part of the 400+ infantry soldiers there in the battle, reflected on the heroic deed of Capt. Caliboso and his crew. “He was a very brave guy” he said of Caliboso. “We had lost 18 men and many more were wounded; but the number of casualties would have been much greater without the delivery Caliboso's crew made”. Thank you Captain Robert Maluenda Caliboso and all of your crew. Thank you for your courage and bravery and honor and compassion. Thank you God for giving all of us the protection of this humble and resolute helicopter crew. (Note: excerpts taken from an article in the Dayton Daily Newspaper of May 24, 2009)
Remember him now?
Your Saint Louis College Classmate, ROBERT MALUENDA CALIBOSO, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions/bravery. We remember and honor you Robert, and are proud that you are one of us, the Classmates of SLC'55.
(Special Note: This write-up has been edited and approved by Robert M. Caliboso's former wife Susan (now Susan Warnock)) (Additional amplifying information, was provided by our deceased Classmate Rodney W. Botelho)
If ever you are in Washington, D.C., and go to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, you will find, on the “Black Wall”, the inscribed name ROBERT MALUENDA CALIBOSO on panel #05E, line No.114. Talk to him, pray for/with him and his comrades. He would like that!
FROM THE SLC CLASS OF 1955 YEARBOOK
The following page consists of accumulated information about the Vietnam War/Conflict, and is provided for your interest and enlightenment.
DID YOU KNOW:
There are 58,267 names inscribed on the “Black Wall” (Vietnam Veterans Memorial). The names are arranged by date of death and then within each date, they are alphabetically listed.
The first name on the Wall, is that of Richard B. Fitgibbon, and listed as having been killed on June 8, 1956. He is listed along with his son, Marine Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitgibbon who was killed in action in Vietnam, on September 7, 1965.
There are 3 sets of fathers and sons on the wall.
39,996 names on the Wall, were just 22 years old or younger.
The largest age group of 8,283 names, were just 19 years old 3,103 were just 18 years old.
12 names on the Wall, were 17 years old 5 names on the Wall, were 16 years old
1 soldier, PFC Dan Bullock, was just 15 years old.
997 Servicemen/women, were killed on their first day in Vietnam.
1,448 were killed on their last day “in country” (preparing to “go home”).
31 sets of brothers are on the Wall.
31 sets of parents lost 2 sons each.
54 names on the Wall attended the same High School in Philadelphia
8 women are on the Wall – nurses killed while attending the wounded.
153 names on the Wall, earned (posthumously) the Medal of Honor. An additional 91 were awarded
the Medal ofHonorduring and after the Vietnam War/Conflict.
The most casualty deaths on a single day,was on January 31, 1968, when 245 servicemen/women were killed.
The most casualty deaths for a single month, was in May 1968, when 2,415 servicemen/women were killed.
