Dedicated pilot will be missed in our community

Ever since Shaw Air Force Base was created in 1941, thousands of pilots have taken to the air from its runway 10 miles from Sumter into the wild blue yonder.

In its early days, Shaw Field, as it was then known, trained pilots for service in World War II. Many of these pilots died in accidents during the course of their training. Throughout its 68-year history other unfortunate and tragic losses of life occurred as Shaw pilots engaged in their demanding and often perilous line of work. There is always risk in military flight, whether it be in training exercises or during hostilities that have encompassed a world war, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, the invasion of Iraq and the war in Afghanistan, not to mention simply keeping the peace and defending the nation as a perpetual mission of the U.S. Air Force. The pilots who have served at Shaw have been among the best and brightest that our nation has to offer. They have also been among the best-trained and most highly motivated individuals ever to wear uniforms in the service of their country. Whenever one of this select group is lost in the performance of his duties, it impacts all of us, reminding us of how blessed this nation has been to have such patriots committed to risking their lives for a higher calling so that we can enjoy the security we too often take for granted.

Capt. Nicholas "Nick" Giglio, 32, was among that select group of pilots who came to Shaw during the summer to become a member of the 20th Fighter Wing's 77th Fighter Squadron and fly F-16s. Sadly, his tour at Shaw ended tragically on the night of Thursday, Oct. 15, when his F-16 struck the bottom and left wing of another F-16 during training mission maneuvers over the Atlantic Ocean east of Folly Beach and plummeted into the sea. According to preliminary investigation reports, Capt. Giglio likely died in the collision, becoming another grim statistic in the perils of national defense.

But Capt. Giglio was more than a statistic. He lived among us, worshipped at Christ Community Church, made friends, went about his military duties in addition to being a devoted husband, father of a 15-month-old daughter and eagerly awaiting the birth of another child he will never see. Although Capt. Giglio and wife, Leigh, were natives of New Jersey, the moment he and his family joined this community, they became Sumterites. They were embraced by a new family of friends and admirers, as all accounts that have appeared in this newspaper confirm. They were and are a part of us.

Too often the personal stories and humanity of those in uniform tend to be overlooked. Fighter pilots are a special breed, but they are very human, experiencing all the ups and downs of life as we all do. They are far from just robots locked into cockpits and flying multi-million-dollar aircraft during most of their waking hours, punching out and doing it again the next day. Far from it – they lead normal lives, providing for their families, enjoying friendships, savoring all the good moments that life has to offer.

Above all, however, Capt. Giglio was a patriot and a dedicated officer and pilot in the greatest Air Force in the world. Though he never went to war for us, he was there for us, training, preparing and unafraid to risk his life when and if the call came. Like many others before him, he made the ultimate sacrifice for his country, and we mourn his untimely passing.