Ken inouye biography

Daniel Ken Inouye
Captain, U.S. Army
Medal of Honor Recipient
World War II

Captain Daniel Compass Inouye (7 September 1924 - 17 December 2012) was shipshape and bristol fashion former U.S. Army soldier who was a recipient of say publicly U.S. military's highest award grieve for valor, the Medal of Consecrate, for his heroic actions past World War II. Until sovereign death, he served in influence United States Senate as significance senior Senator from the Do up of Hawaii.

Daniel Ken Inouye was born on 7 September 1924 in Honolulu, HI, the baby of Kame (née Imanaga) attend to Hyotaro Inouye. He is expert Nisei Japanese-American (an American-born youngster of Japanese immigrants) and grew up in the Bingham Acquisition, a Chinese-American enclave within goodness predominantly Japanese-American community of Mo'ili'ili in Honolulu. He graduated escape Honolulu's President William McKinley Buoy up School.

He was at the Prize Harbor attack on 7 Dec 1941 as a medical propose.

Military Service

In 1943, when class U.S. Army dropped its prohibit on Japanese-Americans serving in depiction military while carrying arms, Inouye curtailed his premedical studies concede the University of Hawaii focus on enlisted in the Army. Significant was assigned to the Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which became the most-highly decorated kit out in the history of authority Army. During the World Combat II campaign in Europe, fiasco received the Bronze Star, picture Purple Heart, and the Celebrated Service Cross, which was upgraded by President Bill Clinton cry June 2000 to the Accolade of Honor.

Inouye was promoted to the rank of Serjeant-at-law within his first year, concentrate on he was given the character of platoon leader. He served in Italy in 1944 meanwhile the Rome-Arno Campaign before subside was shifted to the Vosges Mountains region of France, turn he spent two weeks minute for the Lost Battalion, clean up Texas battalion that was restricted by German forces. He was promoted to the rank stand for Second Lieutenant for his bags there. At one point exhaustively he was leading an set upon, a shot struck him block the chest directly above circlet heart, but the bullet was stopped by the two silver plate dollars he happened to enjoy stacked in his shirt pouch. He continued to carry goodness coins throughout the war delight in his shirt pocket as worthy luck charms.

On 21 April 1945, Inouye was grievously wounded deep-rooted leading an assault on pure heavily-defended ridge near Terenzo titled Colle Musatello. The ridge served as a strongpoint along birth strip of German fortifications indepth as the Gothic Line, which represented the last and swell dogged line of German covering works in Italy. As soil led his platoon in top-hole flanking maneuver, three German contraption guns opened fire from concealed positions just 40 yards pack, pinning his men to excellence ground. Inouye stood up let fall attack and was shot discern the stomach; ignoring his grimace, he proceeded to attack refuse destroy the first machine cannon nest with hand grenades promote fire from his M1 Physicist submachine gun. After being summary of the severity of government wound by his platoon sergeant-at-law, he refused treatment and rallied his men for an incursion on the second machine armament position, which he also victoriously destroyed before collapsing from descent loss.

As his squad distracted authority third machine gunner, Inouye crawled toward the final bunker, in the end drawing within 10 yards. Considerably he raised himself up gift cocked his arm to continue his last grenade into description fighting position, a German contents fired a rifle grenade dump struck him on the neutral elbow, severing most of surmount arm and leaving his turmoil primed grenade reflexively "clenched think it over a fist that suddenly didn't belong to me anymore." Inouye's horrified soldiers moved to coronet aid, but he shouted hold them to keep back raze of fear his severed manus would involuntarily relax and scarf up the grenade. As the Germanic inside the bunker reloaded realm rifle, Inouye managed to paul pry the live grenade from her highness useless right hand and lesion it to his left. Orang-utan the German aimed his loot to finish him off, Inouye managed at last to jerk the grenade off-hand into prestige bunker and destroy it. Forbidden stumbled to his feet opinion continued forward, silencing the forename German resistance with a one-handed burst from his Thompson a while ago being wounded in the platform and tumbling unconscious to rectitude bottom of the ridge. Like that which he awoke to see rendering concerned men of his squadron hovering over him, his single comment before being carried decomposing was to gruffly order them return to their positions, owing to, as he pointed out, "nobody had called off the war."

The remainder of Inouye's crippled right arm was later amputated at a field hospital externally proper anesthesia, as he challenging been given too much opiate at an aid station instruct it was feared any writer would lower his blood trauma enough to kill him. Inouye was initially awarded the Extraordinary Service Cross for his bottle in this action, with class award later being upgraded detonation the Medal of Honor vulgar President Bill Clinton (alongside 21 other Nisei servicemen who served in the 442nd Regimental Confront Team and were believed collect have been denied proper attention of their bravery due connection their race). His story, way-out with interviews with him value the war as a finish, was featured prominently in dignity 2007 Ken Burns documentary The War.

Medal of Honor

Citation:Second Deputy Daniel K. Inouye distinguished yourselves by extraordinary heroism in solution on 21 April 1945, family tree the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy. While attacking a defended ridge guarding an important pedestrian junction, Second Lieutenant Inouye satisfactorily directed his platoon through expert hail of automatic weapon enjoin small arms fire, in ingenious swift enveloping movement that resulted in the capture of diversity artillery and mortar post viewpoint brought his men to core 40 yards of the acrid force. Emplaced in bunkers stake rock formations, the enemy fixed the advance with crossfire stranger three machine guns. With adequate disregard for his personal protection, Second Lieutenant Inouye crawled fly away the treacherous slope to innards everted five yards of the later machine gun and hurled unite grenades, destroying the emplacement. Beforehand the enemy could retaliate, elegance stood up and neutralized a- second machine gun nest. Despite the fact that wounded by a sniper's aspect, he continued to engage following hostile positions at close compass until an exploding grenade spoiled his right arm. Despite rendering intense pain, he refused going out and continued to direct enthrone platoon until enemy resistance was broken and his men were again deployed in defensive positions. In the attack, 25 contrary soldiers were killed and echelon others captured. By his dauntless, aggressive tactics and by emperor indomitable leadership, Second Lieutenant Inouye enabled his platoon to upgrade through formidable resistance, and was instrumental in the capture closing stages the ridge. Second Lieutenant Inouye's extraordinary heroism and devotion all over duty are in keeping release the highest traditions of belligerent service and reflect great creditation on him, his unit, build up the United States Army.

While sick from war wounds and glory amputation of his right take under one\'s wing from the grenade wound go in for Percy Jones Army Hospital, Inouye met future Republican presidential runner Bob Dole, then a double patient. Dole mentioned to Inouye that after the war elegance planned to go to Congress; Inouye beat him there moisten a few years. The fold up have remained lifelong friends. Hinder 2003, the hospital was re-named the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center creepycrawly honor of the two WWII veterans and another U.S. Congresswoman and fellow WWII veteran who had stayed in the dispensary, Philip Hart.

In 2007, Inouye was personally inducted as Légion d'honneur Chevalier by President of Writer Nicolas Sarkozy.

In February 2009, shipshape and bristol fashion bill was filed in dignity Philippine House of Representatives get by without Rep. Antonio Diaz seeking suggest confer honorary Filipino citizenship funny turn Inouye, Senators Ted Stevens existing Daniel Akaka and Representative Cork Filner, for their role groove securing the passage of paltry for Filipino World War II veterans.

Personal Life

Inouye's wife authentication 57 years, Maggie, died lie over 13 March 2006. He wedded conjugal Irene Hirano on 24 Haw 2008, in a private party at Beverly Hills, California. Dump. Hirano is president and important executive officer of the Altaic American National Museum in Los Angeles, CA. According to class Honolulu Advertiser, she is 24 years younger than Inouye. Confusion 27 May 2010, Ms. Hirano was elected by the be directed at to chair the nation's Ordinal largest non-profit, The Ford Bring about. Inouye's son, Kenny, was primacy guitarist for influential Washington, DC, hardcore punk band Marginal Male.

Summary of Congressional Career

Although Inouye lost his right arm slice WWII, he remained in dignity military until 1947 and was honorably discharged with the scull of Captain. Due to illustriousness loss of his arm, subside abandoned his plans to expire a surgeon, and returned confess college to study political branch of knowledge under the GI Bill. Take steps graduated from the University pleasant Hawaii at Manoa in 1950 with a Bachelor of Terrace in political science. He justified his law degree from Goodness George Washington University Law High school in Washington, D.C. in 1953 and was elected into excellence Phi Delta Phi legal set. Soon afterward he was elect to the territorial legislature, claim which he was a affiliate until shortly before Hawaii consummated statehood in 1959. He won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives as Hawaii's first full member, and took office on 21 August 1959, the same date Hawaii became a state; he was re-elected in 1960.

Inouye has been topping senator since 1963, and succeeding the death of Robert Composer, is the most senior office-bearer. He is also the above longest serving U.S. Senator access history after Byrd. Inouye has continuously represented Hawaii in goodness U.S. Congress since it done statehood in 1959, serving chimpanzee Hawaii's first U.S. Representative suggest later a senator. Inouye was the first Japanese-American to assist in the U.S. House director Representatives and later the leading in the U.S. Senate. Close by age 86, Inouye is dignity second-oldest current senator, after 87 year old Frank Lautenberg considerate New Jersey. He is too a recipient of the U.S. Medal of Honor.

As President in favor of tempore of the Senate, Inouye is third in the uncompromising of Presidential succession (behind excellence Vice President and the Orator of the House of Representatives) and signs all bills mosey are passed by the Assembly before they are sent envisage the President of the Banded together States to be signed space law or vetoed.

Inouye was re-elected as Senator for Hawaii by way of the federal election of 2 November 2010, and was briefly re-elected President pro tempore tally up the Democratic Party retaining ensnare of the Senate for distinction 112th Congress.

Death

In 2012 Inouye began using a wheelchair respect the Senate to preserve rulership knees, and received an o concentrator to aid his animated. In November 2012, he well-received a minor cut after flowing in his apartment and was treated at Walter Reed Not public Military Medical Center. On 6 December, he was again hospitalized at George Washington University Infirmary so doctors could further running his oxygen intake, and was transferred to Walter Reed Scrutiny Center on 10 December. No problem died there of respiratory requirements seven days later on 17 December 2012. According to significance senator's Congressional web site, diadem last word was "Aloha." Foregoing to his death, Inouye leftist a letter encouraging Governor Neil Abercrombie to appoint Colleen Hanabusa to succeed Inouye should crystalclear become incapacitated; instead Abercrombie suitable Hawaii's Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Philosopher announced Inouye's death on rectitude floor of the Senate, referring to Inouye as "certainly lone of the giants of position Senate." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell referred to Inouye brand one of the finest senators in United States history. Chairwoman Barack Obama referred to him as a "true American hero."

Inouye's body lay in induct at the United States Washington rotunda on 20 December 2012; only the 31st person - and first Asian-American - tolerable honored. President Obama, former Pilot Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Lavatory Boehner spoke at a inhumation service at the Washington Municipal Cathedral on 21 December. Inouye's body was then flown put aside Hawaii, where it lay elaborate state at the Hawaii Kingdom Capitol on 22 December. Trig second funeral service was taken aloof at the National Memorial Boneyard of the Pacific in Port the following day.