
A 19-year-old Kihei, Maui, man serving with the Army in Balad, Iraq, died of injuries suffered in a noncombat-related incident on June 11, the Department of Defense reported yesterday.
Pvt. Eugene D.M. Kanakaole, a graduate of Maui High School, was assigned to the 87th Engineer Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.
The incident is under investigation, the military said. Balad is about 50 miles north of Baghdad.
Geraldine Serrao, his paternal grandmother, described Kanakaole as “a real cool guy” who “never got into trouble.”
On his own MySpace page, Kanakaole gave himself the moniker “hawaiiansoljah” and inserted as his quote, “id rather die on my feet then live life on my knees.”
Kanakaole last signed on to his MySpace page on May 31. He last listed his mood as...