The Santa Fe Springs City Council on June 17 voted unanimously to change the name of the city’s Aquatic Center to the Paul T. Nakamura Regional Aquatic Center “in recognition of Mr. Nakamura’s honorable service to the city and ultimate sacrifice while serving his country.”
Nakamura was a sergeant with the 437th Medical Company (Ambulance), 3rd Medical Command, U.S. Army. He was killed in action in the Iraq War as he attempted to save another’s life.
The renaming was recommended by the city’s Parks & Recreation Department, which once employed Nakamura. A dedication ceremony is planned for the summer of 2026, with signage and informational displays to educate residents about Nakamura’s life.
The members of the City Council are: Mayor William K. Rounds, Mayor Pro Tem Joe Angel Zamora, Councilmember Annette Rodriguez, Councilmember Juanita Martin, and Councilmember John M. Mora.
Born in 1981, Nakamura grew up in Santa Fe Springs and was described as a boy who was outgoing, gregarious and a risk-taker. His passion was being in the water; he was a member of his high school’s water polo and swim teams and also worked for the city as a lifeguard and swimming instructor at the Aquatic Center.
Nakamura’s patriotism led to his joining the Army Reserve in 2000. After basic combat training he completed the Army medic course.
“He was the smallest soldier in our platoon, but there was nothing small about him.” recalled a fellow soldier.
In support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Nakamura was killed when his ambulance was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade on a highway in Ai Iskandariyah, Iraq. He was posthumously awarded the Combat Medic Badge and the Bronze Star Medal.
In 2014, the headquarters building of the 79th Sustainment Support Command, located at Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos, was named the Sgt. Paul T. Nakamura Building.
Nakamura’s parents, Paul and Yoko Nakamura, participate in the annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Japanese American National War Memorial Court in Little Tokyo, which contains the names of servicemen who gave their lives in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and other conflicts, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.