On Irei no Hi, family members and representatives of the Basque-American community gathered at the Cornerstone of Peace in Okinawa to honor six young servicemen who lost their lives during and in the aftermath of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.
They are:
· Private Lawrence Amoriza
· Private First Class Alejandro Itcea
· Private First Class Dominique Laxague
· Corporal Felix Ordoquihandy
· Staff Sergeant Steven Sahargun
· Staff Sergeant Joseph Uriola
This year's commemoration carried special significance as Corporal Felix Ordoquihandy was honored for the first time following the recent inscription of his name at the Cornerstone of Peace. As the only American serviceman added to the memorial in 2026, his inclusion means that all six Basque-American servicemen connected to this initiative are now remembered together at the Cornerstone of Peace.
Earlier in the day, the delegation was honored to attend the wreath-laying ceremony organized by United Service Organization (USO) Okinawa and the American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa at the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park. As special guests, the group joined U.S. military leaders led by Brigadier General John B. Gallemore (the Commander of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa), representatives of the U.S. Embassy, business leaders, family members, and community representatives in paying tribute to those who lost their lives during the Battle of Okinawa.
Surrounded by more than 240,000 names memorialized at the Cornerstone of Peace—including over 14,000 Americans—the gathering became a moment not only of remembrance, but also of human connection, reflection, and shared memory.
For the Itcea family, being present in Okinawa more than eight decades after Alejandro Itcea's death carried a meaning difficult to express in words. Through the presence of Pauline Itcea and her husband Philip Iriarte—the son of World War II U.S. Army veteran Philip Iriarte—a family story interrupted by war returned to the very place where it became part of history.
The day's events also attracted the attention of Okinawan and Japanese media, highlighting the enduring importance of remembrance, reconciliation, and the preservation of individual human stories.
Irei no Hi reminds us that memory is not only about the past. It is also about our responsibility to ensure that these stories continue to be remembered and shared with future generations.
In many ways, this journey reflects the deeper purpose behind the future National Basque WWII Veterans Memorial in Gardnerville, Nevada: ensuring that the stories of Basque-American servicemen are not only preserved, but also reconnected with the places, communities, and histories that shaped them.
PHOTO: Pauline Itcea Iriarte attends the USO Okinawa wreath-laying ceremony at the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park on Irei no Hi. Eighty-one years after the death of her uncle, Private First Class Alejandro Itcea, members of his family returned to Okinawa to honor his memory and that of all those who perished during the Battle of Okinawa.