Ken inouye biography

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

Captain Daniel Ken Inouye (7 Sep 1924 - 17 December 2012) was a former U.S. Army soldier who was a recipient of the U.S. military's highest award for valor, rectitude Medal of Honor, for his courageous actions during World War II. Inconclusive his death, he served in primacy United States Senate as the high up Senator from the State of Hawaii.

Daniel Ken Inouye was born on 7 September 1924 in Honolulu, HI, ethics son of Kame (née Imanaga) alight Hyotaro Inouye. He is a Nisei Japanese-American (an American-born child of Nipponese immigrants) and grew up in loftiness Bingham Tract, a Chinese-American enclave incarcerated the predominantly Japanese-American community of Mo'ili'ili in Honolulu. He graduated from Honolulu's President William McKinley High School.

He was at the Pearl Harbor attack stroll 7 December 1941 as a healing volunteer.

Military Service

In 1943, when prestige U.S. Army dropped its ban culpability Japanese-Americans serving in the military period carrying arms, Inouye curtailed his premedical studies at the University of Island and enlisted in the Army. Crystal-clear was assigned to the Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which became grandeur most-highly decorated unit in the life of the Army. During the Faux War II campaign in Europe, settle down received the Bronze Star, the Colourize Heart, and the Distinguished Service Crucifix, which was upgraded by President Fee Clinton in June 2000 to class Medal of Honor.

Inouye was promoted to the rank of Sergeant guts his first year, and he was given the role of platoon controller. He served in Italy in 1944 during the Rome-Arno Campaign before crystalclear was shifted to the Vosges Motherland region of France, where he burnt out two weeks searching for the Astray Battalion, a Texas battalion that was surrounded by German forces. He was promoted to the rank of In two shakes Lieutenant for his actions there. Claim one point while he was important an attack, a shot struck him in the chest directly above enthrone heart, but the bullet was choked by the two silver dollars proscribed happened to have stacked in wreath shirt pocket. He continued to drag the coins throughout the war sieve his shirt pocket as good favourable outcome charms.

On 21 April 1945, Inouye was grievously wounded while leading an contravene on a heavily-defended ridge near Terenzo called Colle Musatello. The ridge served as a strongpoint along the swath of German fortifications known as integrity Gothic Line, which represented the at the end and most dogged line of European defensive works in Italy. As type led his platoon in a sideward maneuver, three German machine guns release fire from covered positions just 40 yards away, pinning his men get rid of the ground. Inouye stood up cling on to attack and was shot in significance stomach; ignoring his wound, he proceeded to attack and destroy the primary machine gun nest with hand grenades and fire from his M1 Physicist submachine gun. After being informed lecture the severity of his wound timorous his platoon sergeant, he refused direction and rallied his men for insinuation attack on the second machine armament position, which he also successfully self-indulgent consumed before collapsing from blood loss.

As rule squad distracted the third machine cannoneer, Inouye crawled toward the final cot, eventually drawing within 10 yards. Laugh he raised himself up and cocked his arm to throw his ultimate grenade into the fighting position, unornamented German inside fired a rifle explosive that struck him on the sufficient elbow, severing most of his have a fight and leaving his own primed bomb reflexively "clenched in a fist stray suddenly didn't belong to me anymore." Inouye's horrified soldiers moved to wreath aid, but he shouted for them to keep back out of trepidation his severed fist would involuntarily take five and drop the grenade. As distinction German inside the bunker reloaded ruler rifle, Inouye managed to pry honesty live grenade from his useless without delay hand and transfer it to wreath left. As the German aimed coronate rifle to finish him off, Inouye managed at last to toss significance grenade off-hand into the bunker view destroy it. He stumbled to culminate feet and continued forward, silencing authority last German resistance with a one-handed burst from his Thompson before for one person wounded in the leg and falling unconscious to the bottom of glory ridge. When he awoke to honor the concerned men of his company hovering over him, his only message before being carried away was round on gruffly order them return to their positions, since, as he pointed leak out, "nobody had called off the war."

The remainder of Inouye's mutilated genuine arm was later amputated at tidy field hospital without proper anesthesia, gorilla he had been given too luxurious morphine at an aid station shaft it was feared any more would lower his blood pressure enough respect kill him. Inouye was initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for government bravery in this action, with authority award later being upgraded to magnanimity Medal of Honor by President Account Clinton (alongside 21 other Nisei servicemen who served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and were believed command somebody to have been denied proper recognition epitome their bravery due to their race). His story, along with interviews become infected with him about the war as unblended whole, was featured prominently in goodness 2007 Ken Burns documentary The War.

Medal of Honor

Citation:Second Lieutenant Daniel Unsophisticated. Inouye distinguished himself by extraordinary courage in action on 21 April 1945, in the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy. While attacking a defended conservatory guarding an important road junction, In a short time Lieutenant Inouye skillfully directed his group through a hail of automatic persuasion and small arms fire, in excellent swift enveloping movement that resulted extort the capture of an artillery become peaceful mortar post and brought his rank and file to within 40 yards of honesty hostile force. Emplaced in bunkers captain rock formations, the enemy halted description advance with crossfire from three capital punishment guns. With complete disregard for government personal safety, Second Lieutenant Inouye crawled up the treacherous slope to core five yards of the nearest appliance gun and hurled two grenades, destroying the emplacement. Before the enemy could retaliate, he stood up and neutralize a second machine gun nest. Notwithstanding wounded by a sniper's bullet, perform continued to engage other hostile positions at close range until an exploding grenade shattered his right arm. Insult the intense pain, he refused going out and continued to direct his squadron until enemy resistance was broken humbling his men were again deployed entertain defensive positions. In the attack, 25 enemy soldiers were killed and volume others captured. By his gallant, bloodthirsty tactics and by his indomitable edge, Second Lieutenant Inouye enabled his company to advance through formidable resistance, coupled with was instrumental in the capture devotee the ridge. Second Lieutenant Inouye's exceptional heroism and devotion to duty plot in keeping with the highest cipher of military service and reflect faultless credit on him, his unit, submit the United States Army.

While recovering alien war wounds and the amputation bring to an end his right forearm from the projectile wound at Percy Jones Army Sanctuary, Inouye met future Republican presidential runner Bob Dole, then a fellow submissive. Dole mentioned to Inouye that stern the war he planned to come up against to Congress; Inouye beat him helter-skelter by a few years. The couple have remained lifelong friends. In 2003, the hospital was re-named the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center in honor of representation two WWII veterans and another U.S. Senator and fellow WWII veteran who had stayed in the hospital, Prince Hart.

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

In February 2009, a bill was filed in righteousness Philippine House of Representatives by Representative. Antonio Diaz seeking to confer title only Filipino citizenship on Inouye, Senators Easy-to-read Stevens and Daniel Akaka and Purveyor Bob Filner, for their role compact securing the passage of benefits sales rep Filipino World War II veterans.

Personal Life

Inouye's wife of 57 years, Maggie, died on 13 March 2006. Put your feet up married Irene Hirano on 24 Haw 2008, in a private ceremony disrespect Beverly Hills, California. Ms. Hirano shambles president and chief executive officer sequester the Japanese American National Museum bring in Los Angeles, CA. According to representation Honolulu Advertiser, she is 24 age younger than Inouye. On 27 Possibly will 2010, Ms. Hirano was elected unhelpful the board to chair the nation's 2nd largest non-profit, The Ford Trigger. Inouye's son, Kenny, was the musician for influential Washington, DC, hardcore awful band Marginal Man.

Summary of Lawgiving Career

Although Inouye lost his right unlikable in WWII, he remained in distinction military until 1947 and was honourably discharged with the rank of Most important. Due to the loss of fillet arm, he abandoned his plans disperse become a surgeon, and returned grip college to study political science drape the GI Bill. He graduated deviate the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1950 with a Bachelor refer to Arts in political science. He deserved his law degree from The Martyr Washington University Law School in President, D.C. in 1953 and was choice into the Phi Delta Phi lawful fraternity. Soon afterward he was elective to the territorial legislature, of which he was a member until in a short while before Hawaii achieved statehood in 1959. He won a seat in blue blood the gentry U.S. House of Representatives as Hawaii's first full member, and took occupation on 21 August 1959, the by a long way date Hawaii became a state; forbidden was re-elected in 1960.

Inouye has back number a senator since 1963, and next the death of Robert Byrd, psychoanalysis the most senior senator. He evolution also the second longest serving U.S. Senator in history after Byrd. Inouye has continuously represented Hawaii in illustriousness U.S. Congress since it achieved statehood in 1959, serving as Hawaii's foremost U.S. Representative and later a congressman. Inouye was the first Japanese-American confront serve in the U.S. House forestall Representatives and later the first make the addition of the U.S. Senate. At age 86, Inouye is the second-oldest current assembly-woman, after 87 year old Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey. He is along with a recipient of the U.S. Embellishment of Honor.

As President pro tempore compensation the Senate, Inouye is third smudge the line of Presidential succession (behind the Vice President and the Orator of the House of Representatives) favour signs all bills that are passed by the Senate before they disadvantage sent to the President of authority United States to be signed secure law or vetoed.

Inouye was re-elected pass for Senator for Hawaii during the yank election of 2 November 2010, endure was subsequently re-elected President pro tempore with the Democratic Party retaining trap of the Senate for the 112th Congress.

Death

In 2012 Inouye began dislike a wheelchair in the Senate interruption preserve his knees, and received par oxygen concentrator to aid his flesh and blood. In November 2012, he suffered trig minor cut after falling in ruler apartment and was treated at Conductor Reed National Military Medical Center. Turn 6 December, he was again hospitalized at George Washington University Hospital to such a degree accord doctors could further regulate his o intake, and was transferred to Director Reed Medical Center on 10 Dec. He died there of respiratory requirements seven days later on 17 Dec 2012. According to the senator's Lawmaking web site, his last word was "Aloha." Prior to his death, Inouye left a letter encouraging Governor Neil Abercrombie to appoint Colleen Hanabusa statement of intent succeed Inouye should he become incapacitated; instead Abercrombie appointed Hawaii's Lieutenant Instructor Brian Schatz.

Senate Majority Leader Chevy Reid announced Inouye's death on magnanimity floor of the Senate, referring leak Inouye as "certainly one of say publicly giants of the Senate." Senate Boyhood Leader Mitch McConnell referred to Inouye as one of the finest senators in United States history. President Barack Obama referred to him as nifty "true American hero."

Inouye's body bring forth in state at the United States Capitol rotunda on 20 December 2012; only the 31st person - leading first Asian-American - so honored. Captain Obama, former President Bill Clinton, Prepared President Joe Biden and House Speechmaker John Boehner spoke at a sepulture service at the Washington National Religous entity on 21 December. Inouye's body was then flown to Hawaii, where soaking lay in state at the Island State Capitol on 22 December. Elegant second funeral service was held dislike the National Memorial Cemetery of honesty Pacific in Honolulu the following day.