Special Memorial Day services in honor of East Hawaii soldiers killed in action are set for 10 a.m. Saturday, May 24, at the Puna Hongwanji Mission in Keaau and at the Hakalau Jodo Mission.
Special Memorial Day services in honor of East Hawaii soldiers killed in action are set for 10 a.m. Saturday, May 24, at the Puna Hongwanji Mission in Keaau and at the Hakalau Jodo Mission.
Puna Hongwanji invites the community to honor district veterans in the Centennial Memorial Garden fronting the temple in Keaau. The Hawaii County Band will perform at 9:30 a.m.
The guest speaker will be Lt. Col. (ret.) Delbert Nishimoto, a former liaison for the late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye.
“We would like to encourage all the families, relatives and friends of veterans from the Puna district who were killed in action,” said a Hongwanji spokesman.
These veterans are: (World War II) Stanley Cabral, Yuzo Hayashida, John Hernandez, Seiji Higa, Isamu Kanetani, Yutaka Kawamoto, Morio Mizumoto, Frank Mugihira, Shoichi Nakahara, Tadao Nakamura, Mitsuru Ochiai, Eishin Oshiro, Seikichi Oshiro, Kazumi Tsutsui and Alfred Veriato; (Korean Conflict) David Aspili, Julio Figueroa, Yoshimi Fukumoto, Isacc K. Hale, Koichi Moriwaki and Paul K. Ura; (Vietnam Conflict) Moses I. Kuahiwinui Jr., George G. Luis, Gilbert Olivar, Hayward K. Peleioholani, George S. Salema; (Iraq -Afghanistan Conflict) Ray M.J. Fuhrmann II.
These men gave their lives for freedom and democracy. The public is invited to join the families of the departed solders, veterans groups and members of the Hongwanji.
This event is hosted by Puna Hongwanji Mission. Refreshments will be served in the social hall, after the service. Call the temple at 966-9981 for more information.
Hakalau Jodo Mission invites everyone to its service at the same time at the Hakalau School Ball Park at the Veterans Memorial. The guest speaker will be Kenneth Fujimoto, a Purple Heart recipient. The Rev. Junshi Miyazaki will conduct the Service.
District soldiers to be honored are: (World War I) Thomas Smith; (World War II) Onso Chinen, Hiroyuki Hiramoto, Isamu Ikeda, Yasuo Kaneshiro, Yoshitaka Kataoka, Satoshi Matsuoka, Toshiaki Morimoto, Hiroshi Motoishi, Saburo Nakazato, Masayoshi Ogata, Eishun Soken and Ronald K. Takara; (Korean Conflict) Jun Matsushige; (Vietnam Conflict) Lester W. Alipio and Bobby J. Barcena.
Refreshments will follow in the social hall at the temple at 29-2271 Old Mamalahoa Highway. Call the temple at 963-6110 for more information.