NEW AMERICAN LEGION MEMBER – On Sunday 08-21-22 a couple months shy of his 100th birthday World War II veteran Lou Moore was inducted into American Legion Post 348.
A recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to Chinese-American veterans of WWII in 2021, Lou is looking forward to turning 100 so he can promote his memoir “Eternal Love” about his 74 year marriage to Nellie Hatsumi Mayeda Moore, a Japanese American high school valedictorian who was held at the Gila Bend “relocation center,” what Moore refers to as a concentration camp.
Lou and Nellie met and married a couple of months after his honorable discharge in 1946. Lou served in the Army Air Force in the European Theater of Operations until after VE Day, Victory in Europe.
Moore’s book “Eternal Love” ranked on Amazon as “Best Asian American Autobiography.”
Richard Evans, Post 348 Commander, administered the oath. Linda Evans Hayes informed Moore the Legion Auxiliary would adopt him.
“May I kiss you on the cheek?” she asked.
“I was waiting,” he said. He added, “I have two cheeks.”
Chaplain Carl Hernandez gave the invocation. Representing Congressman Mike Garcia, Navy veteran fighter pilot, veteran aide Christine Ward presented a certificate of recognition to Moore.
Also presenting recognition were Assemblyman Tom Lackey, and representatives for state Sen. Scott Wilk, and Charles F. Bostwick, representing Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. Dennis Anderson, Los Angels County Veterans Advisory Commission Member helped coordinate the event.
City Councilperson Juan Carrillo presented recognition from the City of Palmdale.
“I want to thank you all for welcoming me into this family of veterans in American Legion Post 348,” Moore said.
The event was hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3552, Matt Jackson, Post Commander.
“We want to thank VFW Post 3552 for helping us today and assisting us in our hour of need,” Evans said, noting Post 348 has no permanent post location of its own.
Organizations turning out in support included Coffee4Vets, Vets4veterans, Adopt At Risk Veteran, Point Man Antelope Valley, and Bombshell Betty’s Calendar for Charity, as well as American Legion Riders.
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