Friends and family of a fallen soldier from Oahu gathered Friday at Schofield Barracks for the official unveiling of a renovated hall named in his honor.
Sgt. Alexander Gagalac, serving with the 25th Infantry Division, was killed Sept. 9, 2007, during a patrol in Hawijah, Iraq, when insurgents attacked his humvee with a rocket- propelled grenade.
“It’s never easy to lose someone close to you: a son, an uncle, a brother — especially a twin,” said his brother Alex Gagalac.
The 25th Infantry Division’s 3 Infantry Brigade Team recently renovated the hall, which is on the top floor of the brigade’s historic headquarters building. The room, which features a stage, murals and an ornate ceiling, was previously used as a gym. Now a ceremonial hall, brigade commander Col. Josh Bookout wanted to name it in honor of a soldier who had served with the brigade.
Bookout said given that he wanted to select someone who was widely admired by veterans of the unit and who had grown up on the island, there was one clear choice.
Born in Honolulu on March 21, 1979, friends and family described Alexander Gagalac as quiet and mild-mannered while growing up. He graduated from Leilehua High School in 1997 and enrolled in Leeward Community College as an automotive major.
He had little interest in the military until a friend returned from basic training and encouraged the twins to join. They enlisted together in 2000 and volunteered for service in the infantry. Gagalac went to Germany while Alex Gagalac went to Washington State. “It was the first time we were apart,” said Alex.
Alexander Gagalac served a deployment in Kosovo and quickly gained a reputation as a dedicated soldier with a love for the job, eventually qualifying as a sniper. He eventually transferred to the 25th Infantry Division, bringing him home to Hawaii. In 2004 he deployed to Iraq, which proved to be a demanding deployment.
“Alexander was a soldier who knew firsthand the chaos and tragedies of war, ” said retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Ryan McGrath in remarks during the ceremony. “Together we witnessed destruction and bloodshed and felt desperate yearnings to be home.”
During Gagalac’s Iraq deployment, his unit and that of his brother ended up working in the same part of the country.
“When I heard over the radio, we’re going to do a joint mission with 25th ID, I wasn’t sure I was gonna see him. But as soon as we hit the ground, I set out to look for him,” said Alex Gagalac. “When I found him, his hair was growing out like the rest of the guys in his unit from doing nonstop missions.”
Alexander Gagalac later returned to Schofield Barracks and continued his military career. Despite a hard Iraq tour, he was as committed as ever to being a soldier.
Former Army Sgt. Sean Engel developed a close bond with Gagalac while serving together in Hawaii and Iraq. “I met Gagalac shortly after I got here. So I knew him several years, and he was just a very close friend of mine,” he said.
He remembered Gagalac as a “silent professional,” a soldier who didn’t brag, but focused on the task at hand, keeping cool. The two of them deployed together in 2004, and when they were transferred out of their company, both were assigned to D Company of the 27th Infantry Regiment’s 2nd Battalion. They deployed together again in 2006.
“Obviously, a lot of the guys that were on our deployment I knew and I was close with. But him and I spent a lot of time living together and had a very close bond.”
The second deployment was in support of the U.S. military’s “surge” campaign, which was aimed at quelling the insurgency that had gripped Iraq. It was the bloodiest phase of the war for U.S. troops.
Engel, who traveled to Oahu from Chicago for the ceremony, said the plaque outside the hall was a fitting tribute to his comrade that will keep his legacy alive. “It lets you know as soon as you walk in the door … what it’s about.”
