1st MAW remembers smile of fallen brother

Photo By Spc. Leigh Campbell | The Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Chapel is filled to capacity Feb. 16 with those who gathered to pay their final respects to Cpl. Tom E. Saba, who was killed in Iraq Feb. 7.  

02.16.2007

Story by Cpl. Juan D. Alfonso 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

By Lance Cpl. Juan D. Alfonso
III Marine Expeditionary Force PAO

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, OKINAWA, Japan - He was more than a friend. He was a mentor, brother, son and a Marine. He will be best remembered for the infectious smile he always wore. He will be missed but never forgotten.

Marines and family members with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing gathered at the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Chapel Feb. 16 to pay their final respects to Cpl. Tom E. Saba.

Saba, a CH-46E Helicopter crew chief with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, was killed in action Feb. 7 when his helicopter crashed during a casualty evacuation mission 20 miles west of Baghdad.

The 30-year-old New Jersey native joined the Marine Corps April 22, 2002. What led him there was "9/11" and "his strong sense of patriotism," said Col. John T. Collins, the commanding officer for MAG-36, during the ceremony.

Saba was remembered at the service as a kind-hearted soul whose only dream was to help people while being part of something significant. He fulfilled that dream while serving as a HMM-262 Flying Tiger, Collins said.

"I remember looking across the cockpit and seeing that ear-to-ear smile while flying with him over (a mountain range)," Collins said. "I'll never forget what he said: 'Some days I can't believe I get paid for this.'"

Collins said he will also remember Saba as a Marine who was full of confidence and who always took pride in being a Flying Tiger. He fondly shared one example of that confidence during the ceremony.

Collins had finished looking over his aircraft before a flight when he came across Saba, who, as the crew chief, was responsible for the over all appearance and mechanical condition of the helicopter. He said he commented to Saba "Nice aircraft," to which Saba proudly responded, "What do you expect?"

Saba's commitment to his unit and the Marine Corps is demonstrated by the fact he extended his active duty contract for the opportunity to deploy to Iraq.

"He wouldn't have been able to deploy without extending," Collins said. "But he said he wanted to go with his brothers - that he wanted to teach them."

Saba was buried Feb. 17 in Toms River, N.J. The state's governor, Jon Corzine, signed an executive order to fly all flags at half-staff Feb. 17 in Saba's honor.

• Date Taken: 02.16.2007
• Date Posted: 02.23.2007 15:54
• Story ID: 9229