Post by kanowarrior on Apr 19, 2012 9:41:49 GMT -5
I do the Torrance parade every year, but this one is not open to everyone unfortunately. I give rides to the 442nd Veterans with my jeep. They only need vehicles for the vets who are to old to walk now.
Tim
By Govan Yee, Treasurer, 100th/442nd Veterans Association
Members of the 100th – 442nd Veteran’s Association will be taking part in the City of Torrance’s Annual Armed Forces Day Parade being held on Saturday, May 19th. This year marks the 53rd consecutive year that the City has hosted this event. The Parade’s tradition began in 1960 when former Mayor Al Isen with the help of the Torrance Chamber of Commerce organized the first parade as a tribute to his friends and fellow Americans who served in the Armed Forces. The small annual Parade had steadily grown in size and is recognized as being the longest running Armed Forces Day Parade in the nation. It is also one of the few in the country to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense to host such an event. The Grand Marshall for this year is Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, Michael B. Donley.
Although the age of the Nisei Veterans range from the late 80’s and now into the 100’s, they still love to participate in the parade and are proud to hear the announcements made by the VIP public address announcer who explains their role during World War II. The 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team served in Italy and France as a segregated unit and became known as one of the most decorated units in U.S. military history for its size and length of service. In 2011, members of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service were honored by members of the United States Congress in Washington DC with the presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal. The Medal is one of the highest civilian awards in the United States.
One of the Unit’s twenty-one Medal of Honor Recipients and the City of Torrance’s only Medal of Honor Recipient, Technical Sergeant Ted T. Tanouye came from the City of Torrance . He had distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism on July 7, 1944, near Molino A Ventoabbto, Italy when he led his platoon in an attack to capture the crest of Hill 140, a strategically important hill that afforded little cover. Ted attacked several enemy positions including two machine gun nests. Even though Ted had been seriously wounded in the left arm, he refused medical treatment until a defensive position on the reverse slope could be established. Ted received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions but later died of wounds he received in action near Florence, Italy along the Arno River. His actions were later reviewed and his award was upgraded to a Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton in June 2000.
The 100th – 442nd Veteran’s Association encourages all of its members to participate in this event along with friends and relatives, no matter what their age is. Members of the Military Intelligence Service are also welcome to join us in the parade. The group will meet in the parking lot located at the intersection of Maple Ave. and Maricopa St., (Just north of the Torrance Court House, one block east of Madrona Av. and north of Torrance Blvd. ). This area is near the end of the parade route. Time of the meeting is 11:30 a.m. sharp. Although the parade starts at 1:30 p.m. , all of the streets will be closed off in the parade route area around 12 noon making access to the meeting place very difficult.
Participants will be transported to the formation area of the parade located east of Torrance Blvd. and Crenshaw Ave. Those who only want to watch the parade can also meet in the same parking lot and walk a short block to the parade route. For information, contact Govan Yee at (626) 815-1916. Other events will also be going on during the weekend in the City of Torrance to celebrate Armed Forces day. Information about those events can be found at the City of Torrance’s website, www.ci.torrance.ca.us
Tim
100th – 442nd VETERAN’S ASSOCIATION TO PARTICIPATE IN 53th ANNUAL TORRANCE
ARMED FORCES DAY PARADE
ARMED FORCES DAY PARADE
By Govan Yee, Treasurer, 100th/442nd Veterans Association
Members of the 100th – 442nd Veteran’s Association will be taking part in the City of Torrance’s Annual Armed Forces Day Parade being held on Saturday, May 19th. This year marks the 53rd consecutive year that the City has hosted this event. The Parade’s tradition began in 1960 when former Mayor Al Isen with the help of the Torrance Chamber of Commerce organized the first parade as a tribute to his friends and fellow Americans who served in the Armed Forces. The small annual Parade had steadily grown in size and is recognized as being the longest running Armed Forces Day Parade in the nation. It is also one of the few in the country to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense to host such an event. The Grand Marshall for this year is Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, Michael B. Donley.
Although the age of the Nisei Veterans range from the late 80’s and now into the 100’s, they still love to participate in the parade and are proud to hear the announcements made by the VIP public address announcer who explains their role during World War II. The 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team served in Italy and France as a segregated unit and became known as one of the most decorated units in U.S. military history for its size and length of service. In 2011, members of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service were honored by members of the United States Congress in Washington DC with the presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal. The Medal is one of the highest civilian awards in the United States.
One of the Unit’s twenty-one Medal of Honor Recipients and the City of Torrance’s only Medal of Honor Recipient, Technical Sergeant Ted T. Tanouye came from the City of Torrance . He had distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism on July 7, 1944, near Molino A Ventoabbto, Italy when he led his platoon in an attack to capture the crest of Hill 140, a strategically important hill that afforded little cover. Ted attacked several enemy positions including two machine gun nests. Even though Ted had been seriously wounded in the left arm, he refused medical treatment until a defensive position on the reverse slope could be established. Ted received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions but later died of wounds he received in action near Florence, Italy along the Arno River. His actions were later reviewed and his award was upgraded to a Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton in June 2000.
The 100th – 442nd Veteran’s Association encourages all of its members to participate in this event along with friends and relatives, no matter what their age is. Members of the Military Intelligence Service are also welcome to join us in the parade. The group will meet in the parking lot located at the intersection of Maple Ave. and Maricopa St., (Just north of the Torrance Court House, one block east of Madrona Av. and north of Torrance Blvd. ). This area is near the end of the parade route. Time of the meeting is 11:30 a.m. sharp. Although the parade starts at 1:30 p.m. , all of the streets will be closed off in the parade route area around 12 noon making access to the meeting place very difficult.
Participants will be transported to the formation area of the parade located east of Torrance Blvd. and Crenshaw Ave. Those who only want to watch the parade can also meet in the same parking lot and walk a short block to the parade route. For information, contact Govan Yee at (626) 815-1916. Other events will also be going on during the weekend in the City of Torrance to celebrate Armed Forces day. Information about those events can be found at the City of Torrance’s website, www.ci.torrance.ca.us
