GARDENA — The Veterans Memorial Court Alliance is hosting a free screening of “The Volunteer,” a 35-minute documentary, on Saturday, April 20, at 2 p.m. at VFW Post 3261, 1822 W. 162nd St., Gardena.
The film tells the story of Bruce Nakashima, a Japanese American veteran of the Vietnam War, and his close but unlikely friendship with L.V. Hendking, an African American soldier from Birmingham, Ala., who eventually saved Bruce’s life, before they were separated and lost contact.
“The Volunteer” follows Bruce’s 50-year search for L.V., with intimate, heartwarming, and occasionally hilarious asides and revelations. It explores the power of friendship and loyalty, the weight of family expectations, and the complexities of American identity as Bruce struggles to overcome his guilt, anger, and shame, and to find a sense of belonging.
RSVP by April 17 by visiting Memorialcourtalliance.org and filling out the RSVP form. For more than two attendees, fill out an additional RSVP.
The event is sponsored by Veterans Memorial Court Alliance (main sponsor), Gardena VFW Post 3261, Kazuo Masuda VFW Post 3670, Gardena Nisei VFW Post 1961, and AACoMP.