Las Vegas sailors participate in premiere of ‘Pearl Harbor’ film

Dick Benoit

Thursday, Aug. 2, 2001 | 9:33 a.m.

Two Las Vegas sailors pulled some interesting duty recently when their ship made port in Hawaii.

Chief Petty Officer Kenneth Kimple, son of Mary Siasiak of Las Vegas, and Seaman Rodolpho Diaz, son of Rodolpho and Guadalupe Diaz of Las Vegas, serve aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis, which served as the venue for the premiere of Disney Studios' summer blockbuster "Pearl Harbor."

Prior to the premiere of the movie in April, Kimple, an air traffic controller, also served as a liaison between the Navy and Disney.

"I helped establish the airspace in which the movie was filmed," said Kimple, who was an extra in the movie.

More than 2,000 guests attended the premiere on the Stennis, including 500 members of the news media from around the world and some of the film's stars, such as Cuba Gooding Jr., Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale. The honored guests, said Kimple, were members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, who made their way to the movie along a pier covered with red carpet. They were greeted by young sailors and Marines along the way.

"Hosting the premiere had a great effect on the whole crew. We got to show America who we really are," said Diaz, who has been in the Navy for a year.

Pearl Harbor producer Jerry Bruckheimer expressed his satisfaction with Kimple, Diaz and the rest of the Stennis crew.

"They were all fantastic. They are doing a great job, and they're extremely courteous. All the things you would expect from the Navy," he said.

Air Force scholarship

Retired Air Force Senior Master Sgt. George LaCombe and his wife, Nancy, of Las Vegas report that their daughter, Jennifer, was selected as one of seven students nationwide to receive a $1,000 Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Scholarship for fall 2001 The scholarship honors the senior enlisted airman in the Air Force, who advises the chief of staff of the Air Force on matters concerning enlisted personnel and morale.

LaCombe this fall will be a sophomore at Utah State University, where she is majoring in deaf elementary education. A Clark High School class of 2000 graduate, LaCombe was active in Navy Junior ROTC and served as cadet executive officer for the Clark unit. She has maintained a 4.0 grade point average during her first year at Utah State.

Sgt. LaCombe has served for the past 14 years as an Air Force Junior ROTC Instructor at Rancho High School. This year he will move to Palo Verde High School, where he will open a new unit. Nancy LaCombe is a counselor at Mable Hoggard Elementary School.

In brief

The three new airmen studied the Air Force mission, organization, and customs and received special training in human relations. They also earned credits toward an associate's degree through the Community College of the Air Force.