‘100/442 is back again’

During a brief return home during the holidays, Army reservists Spc. Vincent S. Kaipat and Pfc. Jeff Olopai, both members of Echo Company, 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry took some time to create a memorabilia—a three-track CD that is currently touching the hearts, minds, and souls of family, friends, and members of the community.

The two soldiers recorded two songs, both written and composed during their leisure time while training in Hawaii and Fort Bliss, Texas. The third track is a repeat of the first song.

According to relatives, the soldiers sang songs that made them feel a little closer to home; some even took their ukuleles and keyboards with them.

Kaipat and Olopai began composing the song “100/442 is Back Again” while in Hawaii and completed it in Texas, with Olopai writing the second verse, Vince the first verse, and the two collaborating on the chorus.

The CD, entitled “Vince, Jeff and the Echo Company 100/442 is Back Again,” was just released yesterday, and is already available to the public.

“Throughout our training course, we began to realize that our main objective is approaching fast…just over the hill,” the two said in a brief message.

“Deep within, we’ve always desired to freely express our true feelings…feelings of knowing that the presence of danger is just ahead of us as we and our brothers march closer and closer toward the hill; feeling of being alone on a totally different soil, unfamiliar to us; feeling of being so far away from a place called home, and loved ones we call family; and feelings that none of us would have the stomach to even whisper amongst ourselves.”

The two said the song “100/442 is Back Again” was a way of expressing themselves.

“Because the desire to express our true feelings does not always work out the way we assumed they would, we decided to just let our hearts take its course…and through this song, it did.”

The two also extended a message of appreciation to family and friends for the production of the CD, including recording engineer Rodney Ilo, the Kaipat family and friends, the Olopai family, including “Dad, Millie and Tony, Francella, and Kev,” Mona and Diego Rebuenog, Gus Litulumar, Ana Litulumar, Mark and Jenni Aguon, Pat Mangarero, Neyo Atalig, Connie Fitial, Lou Rangamar and children—Eli and Do, Syl and Meng, Clare and KK, Lorna and Marcy.

Special thanks also goes to Sen. Luis Crisostimo, and Reps. Ray Tebuteb and Arnold Palacios, as well as all relatives and friends.

The troops are currently in Kuwait and will soon move into Iraq, where they will serve for about a year.

The CD was recorded at CM Serenaders studio and mastered and manufactured by P.I.E Records.

For a copy of the CD, contact Abdon Kaipat at 233-1461/0606, Mona Rebuenog at 287-1304, Lorna Rangamar at 235-7663, or Marcy Rangamar at 287-5779 or 868-7633.