I wish you all the happiest of New Years and great success and joy during the 2000's.
Chapter 53 is about to embark on a very exciting year with new projects to help the Veteran population and the Community.
I invite you to join in with us as we plan and successfully accomplish our projects through this year and the next and ....

see you soon.

Jerry Yamamoto
President
Chapter 53

Subj:Highway Designation Proposal
Date:04/24/1999 9:20:51 PM PDT
From:N9140Y
To:[email protected]

Dear Senator Bowen:

I am sending you a copy of a Legislative Proposal that I have sent to the Honorable George Nakano, Assemblyperson for the 53rd Assembly District.
This proposal requests that Assemblyperson Nakano introduce and support the passage of a Legislative Bill that would designate that portion of California Highway One that passes through Los Angeles County, as the:

"Vietnam Veteran Memorial Highway".

Since Highway One transits through your Senatorial District, I request that you consider assisting in the development and support of this measure.
It would be a great honor to Vietnam Veterans,
whether living or recently deceased,
Killed In Action,
Missing In Action,
or held as Prisoners of War,
to have their service honored in such a fashion.

The Vietnam Veterans, Vietnam-era Veterans, their families and the Citizens of California would appreciate and welcome your support.
We, further, request that you solicit the support of your fellow Legislators in both houses, as well as the support of Governor Gray Davis, who himself is a Vietnam Combat Veteran.

Thank you for allowing me to encroach upon your busy calendar for a matter that my friends and I think is of utmost importance.
We thank you for any consideration that can be given to this matter.

Sincerely,

Gerald H. (Jerry) Yamamoto,
Vietnam-era Veteran

I just got the final language that will go in our VN Hwy proposal.
The bill will be introduced in the January 2000 Legislative Session.
It will call for the inclusion of all of Highway 1 in Los Angeles County within the designation.
Caltrans is adamnant in having no more than 2 signs placed to indicate the designation;
one sign in each direction along the path of the highway.

This will help us in our fundraising for the cost of the signs, which would be about $1500 each.
I have already sent a letter to Al Biernesser asking for Funding Assistance from our 3 Thrift Store Chapters;
also plan to request donations from
the Torrance VFW,
the Legion Post,
the V V A Chapters in Long Beach, Culver City, Orange County and South Central Los Angeles.
Also, the Gardena Japanese American VFW Chapter,
and the Sons and Daughters In Touch of Southern California,
among others.

Here's a piece of news I just obtained from Pam Cheuh, who is the person on Assemblyman George Nakano's Staff who writes his Legislative Proposals to the legislature.

There is a new proposal that will be going to the Legislature very shortly.
It calls for the designation of a:

The legislation would call for the designation of PCH (Coast Hwy, Hwy One) from Golden West St (in Huntington Beach) to Westminster Avenue (at the Long Beach Marina).
The Long Beach Marina was Home Base for US Submariners during WWII.

I was asked directly if we had any opposition to this proposal since it would overlap part of the LA County portion of PCH/Highway One that was going to be designated in the LA County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Hwy Legislation.
I told Pam that we Veterans support all other Veterans Organizations in their efforts to recognize and honor the accomplishments and memory of the service of other Veterans.
I also told her that the Submariners of WWII deserve special consideration and recognition because of the critical impact that their brand of warfare brought to the winning of that war, especially in the Pacific Theatre.
52 US Submarines were lost during the war.
Many while attempting to cut the lifeline of supplies from the Japanes Homeland to the conquered territories in the Pacific.

Neither Legislative Proposal will interfere with the other, even though their areas overlap along Hwy 1.

We should lend our support to the efforts of the sponsors of this important Legislative Measure.

Take the 91 Fwy to Artesia Blvd. exit to REDONDO BEACH. Turn RIGHT onto ARTESIA BLVD (westbound).
Turn LEFT onto AVIATION BLVD.
Turn RIGHT onto PACIFIC COAST HWY.
Turn IMMEDIATE LEFT onto PIER AVE.
The Memorial is visible from PCH, on the southwest corner.