JAKWV Announces Nisei Week Activities

Members of the Japanese American Korean War Veterans at the JACCC during Nisei Week. (MARIO G. REYES/Rafu Shimpo)

Japanese American Korean War Veterans will be hosting their annual Nisei Week Hospitality Room for all veterans, widows and families of veterans, those with peacetime service and current servicemen or women.

Join JAKWV at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo, for refreshments, to meet old and new friends, other veterans, current servicemen, and their families.

Important notice: This year, the Hospitality Room will be open only on Sunday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Hospitality Room, located on the JACCC’s second floor and on the adjacent balcony, and will be a place for relaxation and conversation. There will be food and drinks, with tables and chairs located on the shady side of the balcony, which has a view of the activities on the stage and plaza below.

This year, Korean War Medal of Honor recipient Hershey Hiroshi Miyamura from Gallup, N.M., will be in the Hospitality Room and will participate in the Nisei Week Parade.

All Korean War era (July 25, 1950 to Jan. 1, 1955) veterans are invited to join JAKWV in the parade. For those reluctant to march, vehicles will be available for them to ride in. The uniform of the day is your service cap and your JAKWV white polo shirt, if you have one.

All Vietnam veterans are also encouraged to come to the Hospitality Room and to march in the parade with other Vietnam vets. Those who were in other wars or served during peacetime are also invited.

“We would love to have you march with us. Everyone who has served in our country’s military should be recognized,” said a JAKWV spokesperson.

On that Sunday morning, all JAKWV members are requested to arrive at 9 a.m. at the Japanese American National War Memorial Court on the west side of JACCC to greet the 2017 Nisei Week Queen and Court and to take photos with them.

On Aug. 19 and 20, JAKWV will have a Memorial Court booth on the JACCC Plaza, next to the Memorial Court, with newsletters, brochures, books, etc., for the general public. Members also will pass out flowers to visitors so that they can honor all of the Japanese Americans who gave their lives in all of America’s wars. The Memorial Court is the only place in the U.S. where all Japanese Americans who fought for the U.S. and were killed or are missing in action are honored. The name of each hero is engraved on the memorials.

The booth will be open on Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

President Sam Shimoguchi has appointed Thomi Yamamoto as chairman for the 2017 Japanese American Korean War Veterans Nisei Week Committee, whose members include Mits Asakura, Deen Matsuzawa, Victor Muraoka, Mitch Sakado, Joe Sakamaki, Bacon Sakatani (photographer), Sam Shimoguchi, Wally Takata and Min Tonai. The Food Committee will be led by Toshiko Matsuzawa, Lois Muraoka, Elinor Sakado and many other volunteers.  Donations of food are welcome.

For more information, contact Sam Shimoguchi at (310) 822-6688 or samkuni@verizon.net or Victor Muraoka at (818) 590-6724 or vtmuraoka@gmail.com.