By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

GUY Gabaldon’s 19-year-old grandson Andrew R. Gabaldon has joined the Air Force and will be deployed to the Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.
Airman First Class Andrew R. Gabaldon is with the 3rd Wing, 3rd Mission Support Group, 3rd Communications Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska which is under the command of Brig. Gen. Hawk Carlisle.
AFC Gabaldon works as a mail assistant at the Elmendorf Official Mail Center in Alaska.
His grandfather, World War II hero Guy Gabaldon, was known as the “Pied Piper of Saipan” for capturing 1,500 Japanese prisoners during the war as an 18-year-old Marine. He died in Aug. 2006 at the age of 80.
Andrew Gabaldon is the son of Guy Gabaldon’s son Yoshio and Cynthia Indalecio-Brown. Andrew Gabaldon graduated from Kagman High School in 2005 and worked for Verizon before undergoing six weeks of basic military training in Texas. “My cycle has come and I’m ready to join the global war on terrorism,” he said in an e-mail. “It is hard to be away from my family but I know God has already planned out my life, so I will continue on my expedition and do my part in fighting for freedom and for our great country.” He said joining the Air Force has been a dream come true. He is pursuing an associate degree in information technology at Central Texas College.