Sergeant First Class Reymund Rarogal “Rey” Transfiguracion was born on May 20, 1982, in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. He immigrated to the United States at age eight and spent most of his life in Hawaii. At Konawaena High School, from which he graduated in 2001, he was active in sports, especially wrestling; he represented his school at the state championship and placed. He taught his younger brother, Rey Ian, to ride a bike and to wrestle, always pulling him up and urging him to try again.
Since boyhood Rey had dreamed of serving in the military and becoming a Green Beret. Gene Esteron, the National Guard recruiter at Konawaena who later became his neighbor in Waikoloa, remembered, “He was one of the guys that basically I didn’t have to recruit. He pursued me to get into the military.” Rey enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard on July 25, 2001, and deployed with the Guard to Iraq in 2005–2006.
He joined active duty on February 19, 2008, and deployed to Iraq again in 2008–2009. While stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, he spent six months in the Philippines in 2010–2011 with Joint Special Operations Task Force–Philippines. He then trained at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, as a horizontal construction engineer and was assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana, where he was selected for Special Forces. He passed Special Forces Assessment and Selection on his first attempt, completed his training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and was assigned as an engineer sergeant to Company B, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. His schooling included the Indonesian Special Operations Language Course, SERE, Airborne and Air Assault Schools and the Counter-IED Course.
In March 2018 Rey deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. On August 7, 2018, he was gravely wounded by an improvised explosive device in Helmand Province, and he died of his wounds on August 12. He was 36. He had recently reenlisted and hoped one day to train future Green Berets. He was posthumously promoted to sergeant first class and awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart and the Meritorious Service Medal; his other awards include the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Special Forces Tab and the Parachutist and Air Assault Badges.
Hundreds filled a hall in Kailua-Kona for his public memorial, and he was laid to rest at the West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery. “He saved my life many times,” said teammate Staff Sergeant Tom Smith. “I’m standing here today because of Rey.” His detachment commander, Captain Matthew Talley, called him “the hardest working guy on our team.” His aunt Eden said, “Although we are just immigrants, we have come to love this country with all our hearts.”
Rey was competitive, humble and forgiving, with a sense of humor that ensured there was never a dull moment around him. He loved diving, paddling, fishing, grilling and time on the beach. He taught his children respect, how to tie their shoes and how to make pancakes, which they made for their mother while he was deployed. He is survived by his wife, Edelyn, and their children, Rylan and Ella.
Rey was a dedicated Green Beret whose technical expertise and courage protected commando teams across Hawaii, Iraq, the Philippines and Afghanistan.
1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Sources
- ARSOF History: SFC Reymund R. Transfiguracion
- U.S. Army: U.S. Army Special Forces Soldier killed in combat
- West Hawaii Today: A life of service: Reymund Transfiguracion remembered as humble, heroic
- Green Beret Foundation memorial: Reymund R. Transfiguracion
- Family-provided records on file with MVF: Rey Transfiguracion bio, 2024 stage bio and honoree website bio sheet
