Richard M Nakagawa

Recent Honoree of the Congressional Gold Medal, LTC Richard "Manabu" Nakagawa was born in Portland, Oregon to Seitaro and Tsunao Nakagawa on December 17, 1920, and passed away on Tuesday, November 22, 2011, at the age of 90.

Richard served in the U.S. Army's 442nd Regiment Combat Team -F Company during WWII in Europe in 1942-45. In recent weeks, November 3, 2011, John McCain addressed Richard and other living survivors of the 442nd, the 100th and the Japanese American MIS stating that they were the most decorated units in the history of the United States moments before receiving the Congressional Gold Medal at Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC.

His Military statistics include a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commander Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Victory Medal, European Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3D stars, Reserve Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Unit Citation w/2 dc, and Oak Leaf Cluster for subsequence awards.

While serving his country, Richard met his wife Maria Assunta, an American Red Cross volunteer, in Lecco, Italy. They married in New York shortly after she arrived in the troopship USS Marine Perch on May 22, 1947, and remained married for 56 years until her death in 2003.

Richard attended Washington State University and majored in aeronautic engineering until the interruption of the internment of the Japanese Americans during WWII. He and his two brothers, Bill and Sam Nakagawa volunteered and joined the Army, an extraordinary act of Patriotism, along with many other Nisei.

After the war, he worked as a civil engineer at the State of California Dept. of Transportation as a civil engineer designing highways throughout California. He returned to college at Fresno State University and received a BA in Social Science. He continued to work at his civilian job as an engineer for the state of California at Cal-trans and retired in 1985.

His interests and hobbies included college football, fishing, hunting and camping.

Special thanks to Richard's caregivers from Interim Health care and Private caregiver, Nicky Sylvily, and the team at the Fresno Community Trauma Center in Fresno for their compassion and professionalism.

Richard touched many more lives after the war and is loved and missed by his second wife, Shirley Nakagawa; his two sons, Aldo and Gary Nakagawa; eight grandchildren, Sean, Austin, Sara, Jenifer, Macrina, Brandi, Lacey, and Kelli. He is also loved and missed by Caleb and Wyatt Blackketter, Joshua Haviland and their wives Amy and La Quinta Blackketter, Angel Haviland; and nephew Kevin Haviland and wife Courtney.

Viewing and Visitation will be held at Lisle Funeral Home on Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

A Service will be held at the Fresno Memorial Gardens Mausoleum on Wednesday, November 30, 2011, at 11:00 a.m.

Arrangements under the direction of Lisle Funeral Home, Fresno, CA.