The American Legion Sadao Munemori Post 321 presented its 20th annual scholarship in the name and memory of Sadao Munemori to graduating senior Ashley Tran on April 27 at the Abraham Lincoln High School Junior ROTC awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
Cadet Captain Tran is the battalion executive officer and plans to study nursing after attending Pasadena City College and then transfer to a university. Her other activities and honors include Drill Team and Rifle Team commander, Los Angeles Unified School District JROTC Marksmanship Award, Student Council and class historian.
Master Sergeants Herbert Harris and Gilberto Rosado, Army instructors, conducted the awards program.
The JROTC color guards have held annual memorial ceremonies on April 5 for 1940 graduate Munemori at his Evergreen Cemetery gravesite in Los Angeles. On that day in 1945, while serving with A Company, 100thBattalion, 442ndRegimental Combat Team, in Seravezza, Italy, Munemori dove onto a grenade and saved two of his comrades. For his actions, he became the first Japanese American Medal of Honor recipient from World War II.