The Japanese American Korean War Veterans will again host a Veterans Hospitality Room at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC), 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo, during Nisei Week.
It will be located in Room 506, on the fifth floor. Current members of the military, all veterans, widows of veterans and their families are invited to visit and have a snack or just relax with fellow vets and their families.
The JAKWV will also have a booth next to the Japanese American National War Memorial Court outside the JACCC, where they will provide each visitor with a free flower to be placed at the memorials.
President Min Tonai and Chairman Wally Takata hope that all veterans and their families will participate in Nisei Week with the JAKWV. Veterans from out of town can join the Nisei Week Parade with their respective veterans’ groups; and they and their families are cordially invited to visit the Hospitality Room.
Visitors have included many veterans and family members from different organizations representing vets from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last year, a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony honoring the 100th/442nd and Military Intelligence Service was held in the JACCC’s Noguchi Plaza, so a large crowd of World War II vets and their families came to our Hospitality Room.
In the past few years, several Korean War vets have marched or ridden in vehicles in the parade, and JAKWV hopes this number will increase, even though the ranks are slowly getting smaller. Marching behind JAKWV will be a large group of Japanese American Vietnam veterans.
The Hospitality Room will be open Saturday, Aug. 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The parade will start Sunday at 5 p.m., but those who are participating must be at their starting point by 4:30 p.m.
For more information:
Wally Takata, (323) 722-2302, wall_taka@yahoo.com
Min Tonai, (818) 591-1269, tonaim@pacbell.net
Victor Muraoka, (818) 590-6724, v.muraoka@verizon.net