Lincoln HS to Dedicate Memorial to Sadao Munemori

Lincoln High School will dedicate a memorial on Thursday, Nov. 9, to Medal of Honor recipient Sadao Munemori during the school’s annual Veterans’ Day ceremony.

Sadao Munemori

This memorial will honor Munemori’s legacy and evoke an appreciation for his sacrifice and instill pride among students and the community of Lincoln Heights. The monument shall be placed in the rose garden across from the flagpole.

Munemori was born in Los Angeles on Aug. 17, 1922. He attended Fletcher Drive Elementary School and graduated with the Lincoln High School Class of 1940. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 after working as a car mechanic for a short time.

He became a member of Company A, 100th Infantry Battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the renowned Japanese American unit whose motto was “Go For Broke.” He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his gallantry and supreme sacrifice. He was killed near Seravezza, Italy on April 5, 1945 when he threw himself upon a German hand grenade to shield his fellow soldiers from harm after knocking out two machine guns with grenades in a one-man frontal attack through direct fire from the enemy.

The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. and registration will begin at 9 a.m. at Lincoln High, 3501 N. Broadway in Los Angeles. Veterans and community members are welcome to attend. The Go For Broke Association and Sadao Munemori Post 321 have been asked to speak and participate in the unveiling ceremony. Munemori’s niece, Janet Nakakihara, will be in attendance.

A limited number of parking spaces will be available. Those who need handicap parking can enter the school from Lincoln Park Ave. A parking attendant will direct them.

For more information, contact Mike Ibarra of the Lincoln High School Alumni Association at mikethedadibarra@sbcglobal.net or (323) 683-6102.