Tag Archives: war veterans

How to Make Memorial Day a Teachable Moment

We buried my beloved grandmother last week. My five-year-old daughter and I along with hundreds of other relatives and friends gathered at Veteran’s Cemetery in Hilo, Hawaii, to pay tribute to an unbelievably remarkable woman whose life will never be forgotten. It had been almost 11 years to the day since I attended a burial at Veteran’s Cemetery. The last time we gathered en masse was to say good-bye to my grandfather. My fiercely proud Japanese-American grandfather, who risked his life to serve the United States in World War II, while some of his family members were forced to reside … Continue reading →

Calling All Iraq War Veterans—Your Chance to be a TV Star

The hundreds of thousands of men and women who risk their lives on a daily basis protecting our country are stars in their own right, only not all of them can brag that they made it on TV because of their jobs… until now. The mega-popular soap opera “All My Children” is holding an open casting call for an Iraq war veteran to play an injured veteran. That’s right; instead of taking the easy way out by hiring an actor to play the part, the ABC daytime serial is about to make history by inviting veterans to contact the show’s … Continue reading →

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl

The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is located on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu, not far from downtown Honolulu. It is the final resting ground for more than 44,000 United States war veterans (and their family members), more than half of whom died in the Pacific arena during World War II. The cemetery sits in an extinct volcano called Pouwaina and is referred to in Hawaii as “Punchbowl” because of its shape. Roughly translated, “Puowaina” means “Consecrated Hill” or “Hill of Sacrifice.” Historians say the first known use of Puowaina was as an altar where early Hawaiians offered sacrifices … Continue reading →