LIHUE — Katherine Apao wiped tears from her eyes, and Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami proclaimed Thursday as Jordan Wilson Day as Sgt. Jordan Wilson and his family, including wife Cassandra and daughter Taelor, entered the baggage claim area of Lihue Airport.
“This is the first time I’ve been to a welcome of a Wounded Warrior and their families,” said Apao, who represented the Military Affairs Committee of the Kauai Chamber of Commerce. “Michelle Emura wasn’t sure she could make the arrival so I thought I would come in her stead to represent the Kauai Chamber. I need to come to more.”
The Wounded Warrior was greeted by a host of representatives of organizations bearing gifts.
Wilson was first deployed in 2004 where he served as a heavy equipment transporter delivering tanks from Kuwait to bases in Iraq. During this tour, Wilson’s unit came under heavy small-arms fire and numerous mortar attacks, which resulted in Wilson sustaining head injuries.
“One mortar attack landed extremely close, and the blast blew my squad and I back and into the air,” Wilson said. “We were so lucky that there were no casualties that day. But the blast did cause me dizziness, confusion, and to become dazed.”
This did not stop him from volunteering for a second tour.
“This deployment was much different than my first, and we deployed as gun truck convoy escorts,” Wilson said. “I drove, fired my M16, and mainly shot the M19 grenade launcher. I honestly can’t count the number of times that I fired both weapons. We traveled all over the country of Iraq, escorting fuel trucks from the southern border of Iraq to the Jordan border as our main mission.”
During this second tour, Wilson was stationed at Al-Asad Air Base.
“This protective job was extremely intense and very dangerous,” Wilson said. “I lost two friends, and also one of my friends lost one of his hands all due to improvised explosive devices. During this deployment is where I received my disability — the doctors saying that the multiple concussions I received were like experiencing shaken baby syndrome over and over again.”
“My vehicle was hit by five IED blasts,” Wilson said. “We were under constant small arms fire, and my convoy was hit by multiple VBIEDs. When hit by the five IED blasts, I was knocked unconscious, bled from my nose and ears. I have a seizure disorder and extreme short-term memory loss, suffer from PTSD, a cyst in my brain, and osteoporosis.”
Wilson and his family’s visit is coordinated through the Vacations for Warriors Hawaii.
“We extend our gratitude to Sgt. Wilson for serving our country and sacrificing his life for our freedom,” the Jordan Wilson Day proclamation states. “We are happy that he has chosen our beautiful island to visit and enjoy.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
