Sgt. Noel T. Chargualaf of the 100th Batallion, 442nd Echo-Company, presented Vincent J. White Cepeda Jr. of San Vicente Elementary School an authentic and personalized Army boonie hat for sending him an inspirational letter.
Cepeda’s name was printed on the front of the hat in English and Arabic. The hat also had the U.S. and Kuwaiti flags.
Cepeda wrote the letter as a class assignment in November last year.
He also included a drawing of the island and wished the soldiers a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas.
In his letter, Cepeda thanked the soldiers for protecting freedom.
“Soldier, thank you for your courage and bravery and the island spirit will respect your strong heart. The beautiful island will honor your bravery forever,” Cepeda said.
Chargualaf’s wife Rita wrote a letter stating that she recalled the day her husband received Cepeda’s letter in Kuwait.
“He was describing on the phone how he was moved by Cepeda’s artwork. The island scenery made him miss home and the family dearly, but at the same time motivated him to complete his mission each day,” Mrs. Chargualaf said.
She said the jokes Cepeda shared in the letter reminded her husband of something he missed when he hangs out with their three children.
“The gift my husband presented to Cepeda, which were the U.S. flag, personalized boonie hat and a ‘Go for Broke’ coin was the least he could do to express his appreciation for taking time out of his school work to write the letter and to draw,” Mrs. Chargualaf said.
Last year, a local organization called Operation Home Front Support sought the names and addresses of CNMI military men and women stationed around the world in order to send them care packages which included canned food, snacks, drinks, and inspirational letters.
