By KEN HAYASHI
The Japanese American Korean War Veterans, the Japanese American WWII Memorial Alliance and the Japanese American Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee jointly announced that on Saturday, May 24, at 11 a.m., the annual Memorial Day service for all Japanese Americans who gave their lives in our nations wars will be held at the Japanese American National War Memorial Court at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, located in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.
Our community will gather to honor all these JA heroes who died for this country in the Spanish American War, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Grenada, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Thomi Yamamoto (JAKWV) and Wally Takata (JAKWV) will co-chair the event with Lt. Col. David Uyematsu as the keynote speaker and Ken Hayashi (JAVVMC) as emcee.
Also participating will be Helen Ota singing the national anthem and “God Bless America,” the Redondo Union High School Marine Corps Jr. ROTC, the Koyasan Buddhist Temple Boy Scouts and other youths who have participated in maintaining the memorials.
All local JA veteran groups will also be participating as well as families of the KIAs listed on the memorials. For those families for whom we have addresses, we will send an invitation by letter. For those whom we don’t have addresses, please contact Sam Shimoguchi (JAKWV) at (310) 822-6688 or samkuni@verizon.net or Ken Hayashi (JAVVMC) at (323) 585-0802 or kenh@rogerspoultry.com.
All representatives of veteran organizations, community groups, families of KIAs, and attendees will make floral presentations at the memorials in honor of the deceased veterans.
It is our hope that the JA community would also honor our JA heroes and come to the JACCC and participate with us in these solemn services.
If you have any questions, please contact Bacon Sakatani, (626) 338-8310 or baconsakat@aol.com, or Victor Muraoka, (818) 590-6724 or v.muraoka@verizon.net.