The families of the 15 Asian American World War II veterans posthumously receiving the Medal of Honor reserved the morning for prayer and quiet reflection. They were joined by the seven surviving veterans in a half-hour memorial service at Fort Myer near Washington.

Later in the day at the White House, the 22 received the nation’s highest military prize for valor.

Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai‘i, one of the recipients, was the first to arrive at 8:30 a.m., greeting the others as they got off buses at Fort Myer’s Memorial Chapel.

In addition to the seven survivors, more than 200 family members filled the light, airy chapel.

The families prayed with Punahou School Chaplain David Turner, whose grandfather, Col. Farrant Turner, led the 100th Infantry Battalion in which many of the veterans served.

"It is their sacrifice, your sacrifice, that allows me, now a generation removed, to stand here before you. But I’ve learned about my grandfather through your eyes and through the stories of you here," Turner said.

The elder Turner died when the reverend was 2 years old.

"The men we honor this day are from all different backgrounds, with different stories - brothers, uncles, sons, spouses," said Turner. "You knew their special gifts. They were people of honor, lives worth celebrating. ... Thanks be to God for the special lives and deeds of these very special men."

The Rev. Shojo Honda, a Buddhist priest from Kyoto, Japan, chanted a prayer of dedication.

Senior U.S. Army Chaplain Gilley Richardson gave the memorial meditation, reminding the veterans of "the thunk of incoming artillery, the sheer boredom, the moments of sheer terror.

"Remember the guy next to you? He was full of pride, saving his pennies for college, or going back to work in a family business, hoping to impress some young woman," Richardson said. "You showed each other pictures of your girlfriends, your kids from home, while around the world, families anxiously listened around the radio."

The chaplain said his favorite World War II movie included a scene of British war dead talking to living soldiers, saying, "When you go home, tell them of us, that for their tomorrow we gave our today."

"May we always thank the heroes who didn’t come home, who gave their tomorrow for our today, who saved the world, and us," Richardson said.

After singing "America the Beautiful," the audience filed out of the chapel and piled back onto the buses for a short ride to Arlington National Cemetery.

The veterans and their spouses lined up near the imposing marble Tomb of the Unknowns, with their families behind them, as they were treated to a changing of the colors.

Maj. Gen. Robert Ivany, commanding general of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington; Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric Shinseki; and Secretary of the Army Louis Caldera joined three of the veterans at the tomb: Yeiki Kobashigawa of Waianae, who was one of the original members of the 100th Battalion, Rudolph Davila of California and George Sakato of Denver.

As the U.S. Army Band played "The Star-Spangled Banner," all placed their hands over their hearts.

Then, Kobashigawa rose from his wheelchair, and with the help of a crutch, walked with Davila and Sakato to lay a 5-foot wreath on the tomb.

The U.S. Army Band, concluding the ceremony, played taps.