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“In towns and cities... there is no more important institution than the local paper.”
Warren Buffett
June 27, 2025
By Brian Hews
Nakamura, 21, of Santa Fe Springs, Calif.; assigned to 437th Medical Company, based in Colorado Springs, Colo.; killed by enemy fire on June 19 in Iskandariyah, Iraq.
Nakamura was part of an ambulance crew transporting an injured soldier when the vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
His father had concerns, but Paul T. Nakamura was intent on joining the Army Reserves. His motivation: patriotism. “One day he said, ‘Mom, Dad, I’m so proud I was born in the United States,’ ” said his mother, Yoko, of Santa Fe Springs, Calif.
Nakamura was a lifeguard who had taught swimming since he was 17 and belonged to the high school water polo team, said his sister, Pearl Nakamura. Family members recalled him as a rascal and a risk-taker.
“You would tell him not to do something, and he would do it anyway,” his sister said. On Father’s Day, the family spoke with him for the last time. “The first thing he told me was that he had showered and had steak for dinner — we know he was lying,” said his father, Paul. “He didn’t want us to worry.”
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Santa Fe Springs has officially taken steps to honor the life and legacy of one of its own. On June 17, 2025, the City Council unanimously approved renaming its Aquatic Center the Paul T. Nakamura Regional Aquatic Center, paying tribute to a former city lifeguard, swim instructor, and decorated U.S. Army Reserve medic who was killed in action during the early stages of the Iraq War.
Nakamura was born in 1981 and raised in Santa Fe Springs. As a teenager, he worked at the city’s Aquatic Center, teaching swim lessons and serving as a lifeguard. A standout member of the Santa Fe High School water polo team, Nakamura was known for his dedication, discipline, and leadership. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve, training as a combat medic and deploying with the 437th Medical Company (Ambulance), part of the 3rd Medical Command.
In Iraq, Nakamura participated in more than 220 medical evacuation missions, providing aid to over 80 wounded soldiers. On June 19, 2003, while evacuating an injured soldier near Iskandariyah, his ambulance was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. Nakamura was killed in the attack. He was 21 years old.
His service was recognized posthumously with the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Medical Badge, awarded for acts of heroism and medical support under enemy fire.
The naming of the aquatic center in his honor brings Nakamura’s story full circle—from the community pool where he began serving others to the battlefield where he gave his life in service to his country. The City’s Parks & Recreation Department, which once employed him, recommended the renaming to recognize both his civilian and military contributions.
A public dedication ceremony is scheduled for the summer of 2026. City officials indicated that the event will include tributes from local leaders, veterans’ organizations, and community members who knew Nakamura during his years growing up in Santa Fe Springs.
The new name of the facility will serve not only as a tribute to Nakamura’s courage and sacrifice but also as an enduring reminder to future generations of the values he represented—service, compassion, and commitment to community.
The renaming also reflects a broader effort by the city to highlight local figures whose actions have had lasting impact. Nakamura’s deep roots in Santa Fe Springs, combined with his exemplary military service, made him a fitting namesake for one of the city’s most visible and cherished public facilities.
With the 2026 dedication on the horizon, preparations are expected to include updated signage, informational displays, and opportunities for residents to learn more about Nakamura’s life.
The Paul T. Nakamura Regional Aquatic Center will stand as a lasting memorial—one that connects the city’s past with its future, through the story of a young man who gave everything in service to both.