By J.K. YAMAMOTO
Rafu Shimpo

The annual Japanese American Veterans Joint Memorial Service was held on May 24 at the Japanese American National War Memorial Court, located at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Little Tokyo, with Rep. Mark Takano (D-Riverside) as the keynote speaker.

The service was sponsored by the Veterans Memorial Court Alliance, JACCC, Go For Broke National Education Center, Japanese American National Museum, Little Tokyo Service Center, and Keiro.

Maile Yanguas of VMCA served as emcee. “Assembly” was played on baritone horn by Gael Plazola of Koyasan Temple Boy Scout Troop 379. Presentation and posting of colors were conducted by Redondo Union High School Marine Corps Jr. ROTC.

Rev. Mark Nakagawa, retired West District superintendent of the United Methodist Church, gave the invocation. John Asai, patrol leader of Troop 379, led the Pledge of Allegiance. Saxophonist Justin Klunk performed the national anthem. Mitch Maki, CEO of GFBNEC, delivered greetings.

A wreath was placed at the memorial by Maki along with Kristen Hayashi of JANM, Kevin Onishi of Keiro, Linda Taira of JACCC, Takao Suzuki of LTSC, and Kristyn Hayashi of VMCA.

Musician/composer Harold Payne performed “Welcome Home,” a song he dedicated to Vietnam veterans, including his brother.

”The Ultimate Sacrifice”

Takano represents the 39th Congressional District (Riverside, Jurupa Valley, Moreno Valley and Perris) and is the ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. He has introduced several bills to expand veterans’ benefits and address such problems as exposure to toxic materials.

He introduced Dale Hashimoto, who was a classmate of his late mother, Nancy Takano. “They were classmates from kindergarten through high school out in the Coachella Valley, and what a special moment to be here with you today, Dale. Thank you for your service to our country and for your continued commitment through volunteering here today.”

Addressing the Vietnam veterans in the audience, Takano said, “I feel a special obligation to say to them, welcome home… You didn’t get the welcome home that you deserved.”

He added, “I was 10 years old when I came back from school as a fourth- or fifth-grader to learn that that my uncle Saburo Takano had taken his life. He had just served a couple of tours in Vietnam, and I know the terrible toll that war took on a whole generation.”

To veterans from all eras, Takano said, “Your sacrifices and dedication to this great nation embody the values we gather to honor this morning… We pause to remember, reflect and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.

“Memorial Day is a solemn reminder that the freedoms we enjoy, that were granted to us, came at a tremendous cost. Behind every name etched into stone, behind every flag presented to a grieving family, lies a story of courage, duty, sacrifice that demands our deepest gratitude and respect.”

Takano remembered his great uncle Monso Takahashi, a member of the 442nd. “As his American-born siblings were imprisoned in internment camps behind barbed wire on American soil, my great uncle Monso took part in the rescue of the Lost Battalion… a mission to rescue a group of Texans who were surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains (in France). The 442nd broke through German defenses and rescued 211 men …

“Members of the 442nd gave the ultimate sacrifice over the course of that one mission to save their fellow Americans. Later, my great uncle Noboru died while fighting in Italy just a few weeks before D-Day.

“This painful paradox of Japanese Americans fighting and dying abroad for freedoms denied to their families at home speaks most to the complexity of our national story and the extraordinary character of those who served. The sacrifice of soldiers like my great uncle Monso and the thousands of Japanese Americans who served in segregated units helped catalyze change.”

Having grown up in the post-World War II era, Takano said, “I have witnessed the expansion of rights and the breaking down of barriers that previous generations could scarcely imagine. Every time America moves closer to its founding ideals, it honors the sacrifice of those we remember today…

“We understand deeply that patriotism is not blind devotion. True patriotism acknowledges both America’s triumphs and failures, and commits to the ongoing work of building a more perfect union.

“The Japanese American veterans embodied this patriotism, fighting for an America that could be, even as they experienced an America that wasn’t yet living up to its promises. Stories of Japanese American service in World War II remind us that heroism often emerges from the most trying circumstances. Despite facing prejudice and the pain of seeing their families incarcerated, thousands volunteered to serve, proving their loyalty beyond any reasonable doubt.”

Takano cited not only the valor of the 100th Infantry and the 442nd RCT in Europe but also the critical translation work done by the Military Intelligence Service in Asia and the Pacific.

Referring to the Trump Administration’s ongoing campaign against DEI (diversity, equality and inclusion) programs, Takano said, “Today as divisive forces seek to pull our nation apart, we must remember the example set by these veterans. They understood that America’s greatness lies not in claims of perfection, but in constantly striving toward our highest ideals.”

Takano also recognized “those who returned home to continue serving in different ways. Many Japanese American veterans came back from the war to become civic leaders, civil rights advocates, and public servants, turning their wartime service into a lifetime of contribution,” including Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii.

He concluded, “The monuments here stand as physical reminders of sacrifice. But the true memorial to those we honor today lies in how we live our lives, how we work together to strengthen our democracy. Every time that we defend the rights of the marginalized, every time we speak truth to power, every time we choose unity over division, we honor those who gave their lives in service to our nation.

“So as we leave here today, let us carry with us not only sorrow for those lost but gratitude for the gifts they left us. Let us recommit ourselves to the unfinished work of building an America that embodies the principles for which they fought — an America where freedom and equality are not just words, but lived realities.”

Floral Tributes

Floral tributes at the memorial, which includes walls dedicated to those who gave their lives in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and other conflicts, included the following:

Gold Star Medal of Honor families: Sally Hamamoto, sister of WWII MOH recipient Kiyoshi Muranaga

Gold Star mothers and fathers: Yoko and Paul Nakamura, parents of Paul T. Nakamura, who died while serving in the Iraq War

Spouses and families of deceased veterans: Lynnie Tabata, wife of the late George Kiyoshi Tabata (Army, Korean War)

Japanese American WWII veterans: Yosh Nakamura, 442nd veteran

Japanese American Korean War veterans: Norio Uyematsu, Korean War veteran

Japanese American Vietnam veterans: David Miyoshi, Vietnam veteran

Military Intelligence Service, WWII: Ed Nakamura, MIS veteran

Iraq and Afghanistan: Tim Yoshinaga, Gulf War veteran

USS Maine and Grenada: Linda Machida Grundy, VMCA board member

VFW 4th District Gardena Post 1961: Steve Moriyama, commander

VFW Kazuo Masuda Post 3670: James Nakamura, commander

American Legion Sadao Munemori Post 321: Keith Kawamoto, commander

100th/442nd Veterans Association: Keith Kawamoto, board member

Japanese American Veterans Association: Ken Hayashi

Redondo Union High School Marine Corps Jr. ROTC: 1st Sgt. Steve Mick, USMC (retired)

GFBNEC: Mitch Maki, president and CEO

JACCC: Linda Taira, board member

JANM: Kristen Hayashi, director of collections management

Keiro: Kevin Onishi, chief operating officer

LTSC: Erich Nakano, executive director

VMCA: Sharon Wada, board member

Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles: Consul General Kenko Sone

Adopt a Vietnam War KIA Program: Tom Nakagiri, Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple

Nisei Week Foundation: Morgan Gee, 2024 Nisei Week Queen

Stamp Our Story: Wayne Osako, president

The program closed with Klunk performing “God Bless America,” rifle volleys and retiring of colors by the Jr. ROTC, “Taps” played by Plazola, and benediction by Bishop Noriaki Ito of Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple.

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