Eva Hake, the mother of Senior Airman Jeremy Jutba-Hake, signs a tribute bundle for her late son at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 12, 2024, during Operation Christmas Drop 2024. Jutba, a former member of the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, passed away in 2015 due to heart complications after landing at Andersen AFB during OCD. (Senior Airman Natalie Doan, U.S. Air Force)
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- In 2015, tragedy struck when Senior Airman Jeremy Jutba-Hake tragically passed away while supporting Operation Christmas Drop. In 2015, Jutba-Hake collapsed and died unexpectedly after a flight due to an undiagnosed heart condition.
Nearly a decade later on Dec. 12, Airmen, family members, and international partners gathered at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, during OCD for a memorial service and, later, a flight, to honor the enduring legacy of a young man who died doing what he loved.
Airman 1st Class Anthony Gonzalez, a loadmaster with the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, opened the memorial with comments about Jutba-Hake’s legacy.
“While many of us here did not have the privilege of knowing him personally, the stories shared about him speak volumes about the kind of person he was. On every account, he carried himself with kindness, humility, and the spirit of generosity,” he said. “He was an exceptional loadmaster, a reliable friend, and a source of inspiration for those who were fortunate enough to serve alongside him, and now, nine years later, his legacy lives on. For all Eagle Airlifters, SrA Jutba(-Hake) is a reminder of the type of Airman we should all strive to be.”
Many current members of the 36th hugged Jutba-Hake’s parents, Jon and Eva, throughout the ceremony, which took place behind a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. During the ceremony’ final act, they boarded the aircraft and signed a bundle designed by volunteers specifically for Jutba-Hake - a bundle that would later be delivered to Pacific islanders in remote parts of the Indo-Pacific region.
Eva said she knew from an earlier age that her son was destined to fly in large part due to Jon, who retired as the command chief of Air Force Materiel Command.
“He wanted to follow his dad’s footsteps, but because of his vision, he couldn’t be the pilot. So, he figured working behind would be great as a loadmaster,” she said. “He wanted to fly so much that his friends said he’d wanted to come up to Yokota, get more flying hours, and travel the world. He was having the best time of his life. He was born to be an aviator.”
His mother said, when he was young, he’d wear aviator pajamas and sing songs about flying while jumping off the sofa. Now, 9 years after Jutba-Hake’s death, she said she’s thankful members of the 36th still take time to honor him every year.
“I am grateful. I’m just in awe, only because his memory still lives on,” she said. “It’s a struggle every day, but yet I put on a smile and I thank everyone that’s still doing this, that they can give their time, and especially for always remembering.”
