Daniel Ken Inouye

Daniel Ken Inouye. United States Army. , Daniel Inouye was the first Japanese American to serve in Congress, the first U.S. representative for the State of Hawaii and, as President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate from 2010 to 2012, he was third in the line of succession to the presidency., On Sunday, December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy bombed the U.S. naval and air bases at Pearl Harbor. Inouye, a 17-year-old high school senior, rushed to a Red Cross aid station to help those wounded in the attack., After high school graduation, Inouye attempted to enlist in the U.S. Army. The U.S. government denied all Americans of Japanese descent the right to serve in the armed forces., [Photo caption reads] Lieutenant Daniel K. Inouye, Even though Inouye knew that thousands of Japanese Americans were being wrongfully imprisoned and deprived of their property, he and other men of Japanese descent petitioned the U.S. government to allow them to serve in the armed forces. Consequently, the government changed its policy and announced the formation of several segregated Japanese American battalions., Inouye immediately quit his pre-med studies at the University of Hawaii and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to Company E. 2nd Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a regiment made up exclusively of Japanese American enlisted men but commanded almost entirely by Caucasian officers., In the 1990s, the U.S. military began reviewing the cases of soldiers in World War Il who may have been denied the nation's highest honor due to racism. As a result, on June 21, 2000. Inouye and 19 other Nisei servicemen of the 442nd Regiment were awarded the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton., On November 20, 2013, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Inouye the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Senator Inouye "taught all of us that no matter what you look like or where you come from," Obama observed, "this country has a place for everybody who's willing to serve and work hard.", [No caption for Senate photo], CITATION, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Second Lieutenant Daniel K. Inouye distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 21 April 1945, in the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy. While attacking a defended ridge guarding an important road junction, Second Lieutenant Inouye skillfully directed his platoon through a hail of automatic weapon and small arms fire, in a swift enveloping movement that resulted in the capture of an artillery and mortar post and brought his men to within 40 yards of the hostile force., Emplaced in bunkers and rock formations, the enemy halted the advance with crossfire from three machine guns. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Second Lieutenant Inouye crawled up the treacherous slope to within five yards of the nearest machine gun and hurled two grenades, destroying the emplacement., Before the enemy could retaliate, he stood up and neutralized a second machine gun nest. Although wounded by a sniper's bullet, he continued to engage other hostile positions at close range until an exploding grenade shattered his right arm. Despite the intense pain, he refused evacuation and continued to direct his platoon until enemy resistance was broken and his men were again deployed in defensive positions., In the attack, 25 enemy soldiers were killed and eight others captured. By his gallant, aggressive tactics and by his indomitable leadership, Second Lieutenant Inouye enabled his platoon to advance through formidable resistance, and was instrumental in the capture of the ridge. Second Lieutenant Inouye's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army., CONFLICT/ERA: World War II , RANK: First Lieutenant , UNIT/COMMAND: Company E, 442d Regimental Combat Team , ENLISTED FROM: Honolulu, Oahu, Honolulu County, HI, United States , BORN: September 7, 1924, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, Oahu , ACTION PLACE: In the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy , ACTION DATE: April 21, 1945 , PRESENTATION DETAILS: Presented by President William J. Clinton , PRESENTATION DATE: June 21, 2000 , DIED: December 17, 2012 , BURIED: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, HI, United States