Honor your hero with thoughts, memories, images and stories.
We were recruited together in Subic Bay, P.I. Left Clark Air Base on December 5, 1980 for boot camp in San Diego. He wanted to be a Doctor but he joined right after finishing his pre-med studies. We attended Hospital Corpsman School at Balboa Naval Hospital then to Camp Pendleton, California for Fleet Medical Service School. We proceeded to our first duty stations after graduation in June 1981. I went to MCAS Cherry Point, N.C. while Medic (his nickname) went to Naval Hospital Orlando, Florida. We kept in touch. The last time was a phone call from him telling me he's deploying to Lebanon. Like a big brother, he kept me out of trouble during those times we were together. I was in Okinawa with the Marines when I found out about the bombing. I still have the news clipping from the Stars and Stripes. I went to see him in Arlington before I retired. I remember when we used to sing John Denver's song "Country Roads" while doing our laundry in the barracks. I still miss him, a lot. HMC(FMF) J. Rabanal, USN RET.
Remembering our Fallen Brother who gave his life at a very young age of 25 for our freedom. Rest in eternal peace Mediq.
I served with Diomendes at Naval Hospital Orlando in 1981. We went to different boot camps, but at nearly the same time. Same for Field Medical School Camp Pendleton. We worked on 6west, Medical floor. He was the first Filipino person I had met and we became friends. I remember him as a quiet guy. In 1982, I went to Okinawa and he went on to Camp Lejuene. I remember vividly the sad news about his death in 1983. At the time of the bombing I had been reassigned to Camp Lejuene. I don’t know if it was true, but I heard his Filipino community named a school in his honor. Almost 41 years later I still think about him and the potential he would have had for USN and his family’s lost. I heard he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. I will look for his grave next time there. If there was a school named in his honor, I hope the community realized the ultimate sacrifice he made. God bless you Dio and your family. His name is on the Camp Lejuene Beirut Lebanon bombing wall along with his fellow heroes.