Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Yo-Yo Ma, musician extraordinaire

Yo-Yo Ma, born October 7, 1955 in Paris, France to Chinese parents, is a renowned solo cellist who has performed with orchestras around the world.  He has recorded over 90 albums and has won 19 Grammy Awards. 

He began playing cello at age four with his father.  He was seven years old when he and his parents moved to Boston and then New York City.  He continued to study at Julliard School before transferring to Harvard University for a liberal arts education. 

He has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace since 2006.  Ma has received the National Medal of Arts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Kennedy Center Honors.

"Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" released 1983

George Lucas's third movie in the Star Wars saga, Return of the Jedi, was released in US theaters May 25, 1983. It opened to positive reviews and received numerous awards.  It won a Special Achievement Academy Award for Visual Effects.  It was nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Original Score for John Williams, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Sound. 

Of course, the nominations for the top Oscars were reserved for the dramas and biopics. Terms of Endearment is a good movie, and I've seen The Right Stuff, but were they better than Return of the Jedi for Best Picture?  I can tell you which one I've seen more than once. No plans to see any of the others.

John Williams's score lost to Bill Conti's score for The Right Stuff? Yeah, right. The Oscar committee stands by its "no horror, no science fiction" movies for any of the acting awards.  Good thing the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror films gives due credit.  Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher won Saturns for their acting prowess. 

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov!

Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, born May 24, 1990 in the previous Soviet Union, went into space aboard SpaceX Crew-9 to the International Space Station, as mission specialist in September 2024. He participated in Expedition 72 and planned to spend a month in space, but due to the problems with the spacecraft, his stay was extended.  

He spent 171 days in space, returning to Earth in March 2025.

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: John Cho, Star Trek actor

John Cho, born June 16, 1972 in Seoul, South Korea, immigrated to Los Angeles, California when he was six years old. Cho starred as Hikaru Sulu in the reboot of the Star Trek series.  He also appeared in the American Pie series and Harold & Kumar series.  

He starred in Searching, the first mainstream Hollywood thriller with an Asian American lead actor. 

Happy birthday, Spider-man actor Nicholas Hammond!

Nicholas Hammond, born May 15, 1950 in Washington DC, is probably best known for his role as Friedrich von Trapp in The Sound of Music, but he also starred as The Amazing Spider-Man for 14 episodes in the late 1970s. He was the first actor to portray Spider-Man in a live-action series.

He appeared in episodes of Farscape, Murder She Wrote, Dallas, and The Martian Chronicles. 

Soyuz TMA-04M launched 2012

Soyuz TMA-041M crew (L-R): Joe Acaba, Gennady Padalka, Sergei Revin

Soyuz TMA-04M, launched May 15, 2012, carried the members of Expedition 31 to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Gennady Padalka, Sergei Revin, and Joe Acaba. During the expedition, an unmanned Dragon spacecraft from SpaceX docked with the ISS as part of a test rendezvous. 

They returned to Earth after 125 days on September 17, 2012.

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Francis Takemoto, first Native Hawai'ian brigadier general in US Army

Francis Takemoto, born November 28, 1912 in Honolulu, Hawai'i, graduated from University of Hawai'i with a degree in chemistry in 1935. He participated in the ROTC program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry in the Army Reserve. 

In March 1943, he reported for active duty and sent to train with the 442nd Infantry in Mississippi.  In March 1944, he was transferred to the 100th Infantry Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division in Italy.  He earned a Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart, after receiving a shrapnel wound to the side of his head, for his WWII service.

Takemoto was released from active duty in January 1946, and promoted to captain in the Army Reserve in September 1946. He was promoted to colonel in July 1960.  President Lyndon Johnson nominated him to be Brigadier general in the Army and Takemoto was confirmed by the US Senate in February 1964. 

He retired in May 1968. He passed away in May 2002 in Honolulu.