Opening Ceremony, Kimlau War Memorial, April 29, 1962

Crowds gather in celebration of dedicating the Kimlau War Memorial on April 29, 1962. The granite "pailou" arch honors Chinese-American soldiers who died fighting for the United State during World War II. Designed by Poy Gum Lee, this monument is named after Second Lieutenant Benjamin Ralph Kimlau, a former resident of the neighborhood and B-25 pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps who was shot down over New Guinea in 1944. The memorial was designed by Poy G. Lee and bears calligraphy by noted Chinese calligrapher and poet Yu Youren.