Wilberto Sabalu

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Wilberto Sabalu

Master Sergeant Wilberto Sabalu (born circa 1972, died May 6 2007) was an American GI who was killed at the Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Afghanistan.[1][2][3][4][5] Sabalu, and his colleague Colonel James W. Harrison Jr., are notable for having been killed, by an Afghan guard, who opened fire on their vehicle when they were exiting the prison gate.

Sabulu spent seventeen years in the Army.[6] He was promoted to Master Sergeant in 2006.[7]

A May 9 2007 article published by the Armed Forces Press Service stated the two men "...died May 6 during combat in Pol-E-Charki."[5] Sabalu was married, with two children.[8] At the time of his death the Department of Defense initially stated Sabalu "...was assigned to the U.S. Military Police School, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri."[4] However, the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A) named two barracks after Sabalu and his comrade Harrison, because they had been assigned to CSTC-A's Detention Capability Directorate at the time of their death.[9] Harrison was the Director of the Detention Capability Directorate.

A May 9 2007 article in the Chicago Sun-Times described the shooter as a "'rogue soldier' with a history of mental problems".[8] The article said the attack was unprovoked, and that the Afghan was killed by fellow Afghan soldiers. The article said the "rogue soldier" had fired on the American's vehicle when it was exiting the prison gate, and that two further GIs had been injured.

The New York Times reported that the deaths of the two men had delayed the completion of a $30 million USD expansion of the prison to hold captives transferred from the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba.[1] Harrison and Sabalu were overseeing the expansion.

An investigation considered the possibility that the Afghan guard force had been infiltrated by members of the anti-Government resistance. Close to two dozen guards, who were graduates of an $18 million USD training program, were dismissed.

The Fort Leavenworth Lamp Online reports that Sabalu's wife is also a member of the Military Police, and that he volunteered for the Afghan assignment.[10]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Tim Golden (January 7, 2008). "Defying U.S. Plan, Prison Expands in Afghanistan". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/07/world/asia/07bagram.html?ref=asia&pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
  2. "Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr.". Washington Post. http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/dates/2007/may/06/wilberto-sabalu-jr/. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
  3. "Lane Tech graduate killed while serving in Afghanistan". Chicago Tribune. May 9 2007. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 "DoD Identifies Army Casualties". Department of Defense. May 8 2007. http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=10843. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Four Servicemembers Killed; DoD Identifies 10 Previous Casualties". Department of Defense. May 9 2007. http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=45961. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
  6. Joseph Giordono (Thursday, May 10, 2007). "Soldiers killed by Afghan soldier leave behind wives, children". Stars and Stripes. http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=53306&archive=true. Retrieved 2008-01-09. 
  7. "FY06 MASTER SERGEANT, SELECTION BOARD RESULTS". Army Study Guide. Fiscal Year 2006. http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/bm~doc/fy06-master-sergeant-resu.doc. Retrieved 2008-01-09. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 Ben Goldberger (May 9, 2007). "Chicago soldier killed in Afghanistan; 'Rogue' member of Afghan army". Chicago Sun-Times. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20070509/ai_n19065115. Retrieved 2008-01-05. 
  9. Tech. Sgt. Cortchie Welch (November 2007). "CSTC-A honors true heroes". The Enduring Ledger. pp. 3. http://www.cstc-a.com/News/The%20Enduring%20Ledger%20November%202007.pdf. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
  10. Tech. Sgt. Cortchie Welch (Friday, October 5, 2007). "Camp Eggers buildings named in honor of MPs". Fort Leavenworth Lamp Online. http://www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/articles/2007/10/05/news/news2.txt. Retrieved 2008-01-07.