Kimlau Memorial Arch

The Kimlau Memorial Arch is currently located at Chatham Square in New York’s Chinatown. It was built in 1961 by the American Legion, Lt. B.R. Kimlau Post 1291. It honors the U.S. service members of Chinese ancestry that have died serving the United States. The granite arch was designed by architect Poy Gum Lee, as a modern take on the traditional ceremonial gateway. It was named after U.S. Army Air Corps 2nd Lieutenant, Benjamin Ralph Kimlau. He was a former resident of Chinatown, who was shot down in 1944 during World War II.