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Jerry Yamamoto

Jerry Yamamoto, resident of Harbor City, California was born in Rohwer (Arkansas) Relocation Camp in 1943. He enlisted in the Army in June 1966 and served    as an enlisted Psychology-Social Work Specialist at the US Army Hospital/Specialized Treatment Center, at Ft. Gordon, Augusta, Georgia.

Jerry was employed by the former California Department of Public Works’ Division of Highways (now CalTRANS), Fairview State Hospital and the California Public Employees Retirement System prior to his own retirement in 2002.

Since 2005 Jerry has been an At-Large Member of the Vietnam Veterans of American National Board of Directors. He served as Alternate Director of VVA Region 9 for two years prior to his election to the National Board. Jerry is Chair of the VVA National Minority Affairs Committee and a member of four other national committees. He is a Life Member of Vietnam Veterans of America. Since he joined VVA in 1996 he has been an active member of Redondo Beach, CA South Bay Chapter 53, where he has served as a Board Member, Vice President and is the current Chapter President.

He is a member of the Advisory Board of the US Veterans Initiative, Los Angeles, the Redondo Beach Veterans Memorial Task Force, Congresswoman Jane Harman’s Military Academy Selection Board, and is the past Commander of the Sadao Munemori American Legion Post 321 in Los Angeles. Jerry is the incoming Chair of the South Bay Veterans Employment Committee for 2009. He was honored by Assemblyman Ted Lieu as the California 53rd Assembly District’s Veteran of the Year for 2009. He also is Chair of the South Bay Veterans Employment Committee.

Jerry originated the idea for the designation of California State Highway One, in two separate laws, as, first, the Los Angeles County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway and as, second, as a Blue Star Memorial Highway for its entire 700 mile length in California.

Jerry, a widower, is the father of daughter, Jamie. Jerry holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Anthropology from UCLA (1966) and a Master of Public Administration from California State College Long Beach (1976).