DAVID HANALOA HELELA

Age 85, of Hawai`i Kai, O`ahu, died at Tripler Hospital on Sunday, February 25, 2018. He was born May 31, 1932 at home on his family’s Hawaiian homestead in Ho`olehua, Moloka`i, attended Moloka`i High School, enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 17, and served with distinction as an infantryman for more than 36 years before retiring as a Colonel.

His military training and education included Airborne, Ranger and the Army War College at Carlise. He fought in the Korean War with the 5th Regimental Combat Team and served on two combat tours in Vietnam earning numerous valor awards including the Silver Star. He taught infantry tactics at Fort Benning, GA, and served as a staff officer in a NATO headquarters in Germany and in the office of the Inspector General at the Pentagon. He commanded an infantry company, a mechanized infantry battalion, an armored division brigade, and the support command for the U.S. Army in Hawai`i, which at that time was the largest installation command in the Defense Department. His citations for meritorious service include three awards of the Legion of Merit. While on active duty, he earned both his bachelors and master’s degrees. In retirement, he pursued interests in cultural and historic preservation, and civil rights, leading curatorship for Malae, Poli`ahu and Hikinaakala heiaus, and serving on the Kaua`i County Historic Preservation Review Commission, and the Hawai`i State advisory committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

He is survived by his daughter Kimberly Helela, of San Antonio, Texas; and son Steven (Malia) Helela; grandsons Kris Antonio, Noa, Waiea, and Kaiehu Helela, and granddaughter Ilana Helela; sister Ida Tom; numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins.

Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. and the memorial service at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 26, 2018 at Holy Trinity Church. Military honors will be rendered at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl at 3:00 p.m. (family only).

Arrangements Provided By: Ultimate Cremation Services LLC