18th annual Nisei Veterans Memorial Service honors WWII fallen heroes at Punchbowl
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The public is invited to honor the Nisei solders who fought in WWII on Sunday, Sept. 24, with a special memorial service at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl.
Volunteers decorated grave stones with flowers today in preparation for the 18th Annual Nisei Veterans Memorial Service. The ceremony runs from 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. with gates opening at 8 a.m. and a wreath laying by the Rotary Club of Honolulu.
Volunteers can also help clean up graves on Monday starting at 8:30 a.m.
Entertainment will be provided by the Royal Hawaiian Band, Junior ROTC cadets and the Celtic Pipes and Drums of Hawaii.
The memorial service began to honor Sgt. Shigeo Joe Takata of the 100th Infantry Battalion, who was the first Japanese American soldier killed during WWII. He was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery.
Last year’s event included a memorial speech delivered by Brendan Burns who is the grandson of the late Governor John A. Burns.
For more information, visit nvlchawaii.org.
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