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The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March
3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to PRIVATE MIKIO
HASEMOTO UNITED STATES
ARMY for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty:
Private Mikio Hasemoto distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in
action on 29 November 1943, in the vicinity of Cerasuolo, Italy. A force of approximately 40 enemy soldiers armed with machine
guns, machine pistols, rifles, and grenades attacked the left flank of his
platoon. Two enemies with machine
guns advanced forward, firing their weapons.
Private Hasemoto, an automatic rifleman, challenged these two machine
gunners. After firing four
magazines at the approaching enemy, his weapon was shot and damaged.
Unhesitatingly, he ran 10 yards to the rear, secured another automatic
rifle and continued to fire until his weapon jammed.
At this point, Private Hasemoto and his squad leader had killed
approximately 20 enemy soldiers. Again,
Private Hasemoto ran through a barrage of enemy machine gun fire, to pick up an
M-1 rifle. Continuing their fire,
Private Hasemoto and his squad leader killed 10 more enemy soldiers. With only three enemy left, he and his squad leader charged
courageously forward, killing one, wounding another, and capturing the remaining
enemy. The following day, Private
Hasemoto continued to repel enemy attacks until he was killed by enemy fire.
Private Hasemoto’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.
The President of the United
States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in
the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to PRIVATE SHIZUYA
HAYASHI UNITED STATES
ARMY for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty:
Private Shizuya Hayashi distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in
action on 29 November 1943, near Cerasuolo, Italy.
During a flank assault on high ground held by the enemy, Private Hayashi
rose alone in the face of grenade, rifle, and machine gun fire.
Firing his automatic rifle from the hip, he charged and overtook an enemy
machine gun position, killing seven men in the nest and two more as they fled.
After a platoon advance of 200 yards from this point, an enemy
antiaircraft gun-position opened fire on the platoon.
Private Hayashi returned fire at the hostile position, killing nine of
the enemy, taking four prisoners, and forcing the remainder of the force to
withdraw from the hill. Private
Hayashi’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.
The President of the United
States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in
the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to PRIVATE FIRST
CLASS KAORU MOTO UNITED STATES
ARMY for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty:
Private First Class Kaoru Moto distinguished himself by extraordinary
heroism in action on 7 July 1944, near Castellina, Italy.
While serving as first scout, Private First Class Moto observed a machine
gun nest that was impeding his platoon. On his own initiative, he made his way to a point ten paces
from the hostile position, and killed the enemy machine gunner.
Immediately, the assistant gunner opened fire in the direction of Private
First Class Moto. Crawling to the rear of the position Private First Class Moto
surprised the enemy soldiers, who quickly surrendered.
Taking his prisoner with him, Private First Class Moto took a position a
few yards from a house to deny the enemy use of the building as an observation
post. While guarding the house and
his prisoner, he observed an enemy machine gun team moving into position.
He engaged them, and with deadly fire forced the enemy to withdraw.
An enemy sniper located in another house fired at Private First Class
Moto severely wounding him. Applying
first aid to his wound, he changed position to elude the sniper fire and to
advance. Finally relieved of his position, he made his way to the rear
for treatment. Crossing a road, he
spotted an enemy machine gun nest. Opening
fire, he wounded two of the three soldiers occupying the position.
Not satisfied with this accomplishment, he then crawled forward to a
better position and ordered the enemy soldier to surrender.
Receiving no answer, Private First Class Moto fired at the position, and
the soldiers surrendered. Private
First Class Moto’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.
The President of the United
States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in
the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to PRIVATE FIRST
CLASS KIYOSHI K. MURANAGA UNITED STATES
ARMY for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty:
Private First Class Kiyoshi K. Muranaga distinguished himself by
extraordinary heroism in action on 26 June 1944, near Suvereto, Italy. Private First Class Muranaga’s company encountered a strong
enemy force in commanding positions and with superior firepower.
An enemy 88mm self-propelled gun opened direct fire on the company,
causing the men to disperse and seek cover.
The mortar squad in which Private First Class Muranaga served as a gunner
was ordered to action, but the terrain made it impossible to set up the mortar.
The squad leader, realizing the vulnerability of the mortar position,
moved his men away from the gun to positions of relative safety. Because of the heavy casualties being inflicted on his
company, Private First Class Muranaga attempted to neutralize the 88mm weapon
alone. Voluntarily remaining at his
gun position, Private First Class Muranaga manned the mortar himself and opened
fire on the enemy gun at a range of approximately 400 yards.
With his third round, he was able to correct his fire so that the shell
landed directly in front of the enemy gun.
Meanwhile, the enemy crew immediately aware of the source of mortar fire,
had turned the 88mm weapon directly on Private First Class Muranaga’s
position. Before Private First
Class Muranaga could fire a fourth round, an 88mm shell scored a direct hit on
his position, killing him instantly. Because of the accuracy of Private First Class Muranaga’s
previous fire, the enemy soldiers decided not to risk further exposure and
immediately abandoned their position. Private
First Class Muranaga’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.
The President of the United
States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in
the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to PRIVATE MASATO
NAKAE UNITED STATES
ARMY for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty:
Private Masato Nakae distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in
action on 19 August 1944, near Pisa, Italy.
When his submachine gun was damaged by a shell fragment during a fierce
attack by a superior enemy force, Private Nakae quickly picked up his wounded
comrade’s M-1 rifle and fired rifle grenades at the steadily advancing enemy.
As the hostile force continued to close in on his position, Private Nakae
threw six grenades and forced them to withdraw.
During a concentrated enemy mortar barrage that preceded the next assault
by the enemy force, a mortar shell fragment seriously wounded Private Nakae. Despite his injury, he refused to surrender his position and
continued firing at the advancing enemy. By
inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy force, he finally succeeded in breaking
up the attack and caused the enemy to withdraw.
Private Nakae’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.
The President of the United
States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in
the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to PRIVATE SHINYEI
NAKAMINE UNITED STATES
ARMY for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty:
Private Shinyei Nakamine distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism
in action on 2 June 1944, near La Torreto, Italy.
During an attack, Private Nakamine’s platoon became pinned down by
intense machine gun crossfire from a small knoll 200 yards to the front.
On his own initiative, Private Nakamine crawled toward one of the hostile
weapons. Reaching a point 25 yards
from the enemy, he charged the machine gun nest, firing his submachine gun and
killing three enemy soldiers and capturing two.
Later that afternoon, Private Nakamine discovered an enemy soldier on the
right flank of his platoon’s position. Crawling
25 yards from his position, Private Nakamine opened fire and killed the soldier.
Then, seeing a machine gun nest to his front approximately 75 yards away,
he returned to his platoon and led an automatic rifle team toward the enemy.
Under the covering fire of the automatic rifle, Private Nakamine crawled
to a point 25 yards from the nest and threw hand grenades at the enemy soldiers,
wounding one and capturing four. Spotting
another machine gun nest 100 yards to his right flank, he led the automatic
rifle team toward the hostile position, but was killed by a burst of machine gun
fire. Private Nakamine’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.
The President of the United
States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in
the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to PRIVATE FIRST
CLASS WILLIAM K. NAKAMURA UNITED STATES
ARMY for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty:
Private First Class William K. Nakamura distinguished himself by
extraordinary heroism in action on 4 July 1944 near Castellina, Italy. During a fierce fire-fight, Private First Class Nakamura’s
platoon became pinned down by enemy machine gun fire from a concealed position.
On his own initiative, Private First Class Nakamura crawled 20 yards
toward the hostile nest with fire from the enemy machine gun barely missing him.
Reaching a point 15 yards from the position, he quickly raised to a
kneeling position and threw four hand grenades, killing or wounding at least
three of the enemy soldiers. The
weapon silenced, Private First Class Nakamura crawled back to his platoon, which
was able to continue its advance as a result of his courageous action.
Later, his company was ordered to withdraw from the crest of a hill so
that a mortar barrage could be placed on the ridge.
On his own initiative, Private First Class Nakamura remained in position
to cover his comrades’ withdrawal. While
moving toward the safety of a wooded draw, his platoon became pinned down by
deadly machine gun fire. Crawling
to a point from which fire could be placed on the enemy position, Private First
Class Nakamura rapidly and accurately fired his weapon to pin down the enemy
machine gunners. His platoon was
then able to withdraw to safety without further casualties.
Private First Class Nakamura was killed during this heroic stand.
Private First Class Nakamura’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.
The President of the United
States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in
the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to STAFF SERGEANT
ALLAN M. OHATA UNITED STATES
ARMY for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty:
Staff Sergeant Allan M. Ohata distinguished himself by extraordinary
heroism in action on 29 and 30 November 1943, near Cerasuolo, Italy.
Staff Sergeant Ohata (then Sergeant), his squad leader, and three men
were ordered to protect his platoon’s left flank against an attacking enemy
force of 40 men, armed with machine guns, machine pistols, and rifles.
He posted one of his men, an automatic rifleman, on the extreme left, 15
yards from his own position. Taking
his position, Staff Sergeant Ohata delivered effective fire against the
advancing enemy. The man to his
left called for assistance when his automatic rifle was shot and damaged.
With utter disregard for his personal safety, Staff Sergeant Ohata left
his position and advanced 15 yards through heavy machine gun fire.
Reaching his comrade’s position, he immediately fired upon the enemy,
killing 10 enemy soldiers and successfully covering his comrade’s withdrawal
to replace his damaged weapon. Staff
Sergeant Ohata and the automatic rifleman held their position and killed some 37
enemy soldiers. Then both men
charged the three remaining soldiers and captured them.
Later, Staff Sergeant Ohata and the automatic rifleman stopped another
attacking force of 14, killing four and wounding three while the others fled.
The following day he and the automatic rifleman held their flank with
grim determination and staved off all attacks.
Staff Sergeant Ohata’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.
The President of the United
States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in
the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to STAFF SERGEANT
KAZUO OTANI UNITED STATES
ARMY for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty:
Staff Sergeant Kazuo Otani distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism
in action on 15 July 1944, near Pieve Di S. Luce, Italy.
Advancing to attack a hill objective, Staff Sergeant Otani’s platoon
became pinned down in a wheat field by concentrated fire from enemy machine gun
and sniper positions. Realizing the
danger confronting his platoon, Staff Sergeant Otani left his cover and shot and
killed a sniper who was firing with deadly effect upon his men.
Then, followed by a steady stream of machine gun bullets, Staff Sergeant
Otani dashed across the open wheat field toward the foot of a cliff.
From this point, he directed his men to crawl to the cover of the cliff. When the movement of the platoon drew heavy enemy fire, he
dashed along the cliff toward the left flank, dangerously open to enemy fire.
By attracting the attention of the enemy, he enabled the men closest to
the cliff to reach cover. Organizing these men to guard against possible enemy
counterattack, Staff Sergeant Otani again made his way across the open field,
shouting instructions to the stranded men while continuing to draw enemy fire.
Reaching the rear of the platoon position, he took partial cover in a
shallow ditch and directed covering fire for the men who had begun to move
forward. At this point one of his
men became seriously wounded. Ordering
his men to remain under cover, Staff Sergeant Otani crawled to the wounded
soldier who was lying on open ground in full view of the enemy.
Dragging the wounded soldier to a shallow ditch, Staff Sergeant Otani
proceeded to render first aid treatment, but was mortally wounded by machine gun
fire. Staff Sergeant Otani’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.
The President of the United
States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in
the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to TECHNICAL
SERGEANT TED T. TANOUYE UNITED STATES
ARMY for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty:
Technical Sergeant Ted T. Tanouye distinguished himself by extraordinary
heroism in action on 7 July 1944, near Molino A Ventoabbto, Italy.
Technical Sergeant Tanouye led his platoon in an attack to capture the
crest of a strategically important hill that afforded little cover or
concealment. Noticing an enemy
machine gun crew placing its gun in position to his left front, Technical
Sergeant Tanouye crept forward a few yards and opened fire on the position,
killing or wounding three and causing two others to disperse.
Immediately an enemy machine pistol opened fire on him, but he returned
the fire and killed or wounded three more enemy soldiers.
While advancing forward, Technical Sergeant Tanouye was subjected to
grenade bursts, which severely wounded his left arm.
Sighting an enemy-held trench, he raked the position with fire from his
submachine gun and wounded several of the enemy.
Running out of ammunition, he crawled 20 yards to obtain several clips
from a comrade on his left flank. Next,
sighting an enemy machine pistol that had pinned down his men, Technical
Sergeant Tanouye crawled forward a few yards and threw a hand grenade into the
position, silencing it. He then
located another enemy machine gun firing down the slope of the hill, opened fire
on it, and silenced that position. Drawing
fire from a machine pistol nest located above him, he then opened fire on it and
wounded three of its occupants. Finally
taking his objective, Technical Sergeant Tanouye organized a defensive position
of the reverse slope of the hill before accepting first aid treatment and
evacuation. Technical Sergeant
Tanouye’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.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of
Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of
Honor to PRIVATE BARNEY F. HAJIRO UNITED STATES
ARMY for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at
the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
Private Barney F. Hajiro distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism
in action on 19, 22, and 29 October 1944, in the vicinity of Bruyeres and
Biffontaine, Eastern France. Private
Hajiro, while acting as security guard on top of an embankment on 19 October
1944, in the vicinity of Bruyeres, France, rendered assistance to allied troops
attacking a house 200 yards away by exposing himself to enemy fire and directing
fire at an enemy strong point. He
assisted the unit on his right by firing his automatic rifle and killing or
wounding two enemy snipers. On 22
October 1944, he and one comrade took up an outpost security position about 50
yards to the right front of their platoon, concealed themselves, and ambushed an
18-man, heavily armed enemy patrol, killing two, wounding one, and taking the
remainder as prisoners. On 29
October 1944 in a wooded area in the vicinity of Biffontaine, France, he
initiated an attack up the slope of a hill referred to as "Suicide
Hill", by running forward approximately 100 yards under fire.
He then advanced ahead of his comrades about 10 yards, drawing fire and
spotting camouflaged machine gun nests. He
fearlessly met fire with fire and single-handedly succeeded in destroying two
machine gun nests and killing two enemy snipers.
As a result of Private Hajiro’s heroic actions, the attack was
successful. Private Hajiro’s
extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest
traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit, and
the United States Army.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of
Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of
Honor to PRIVATE JOE HAYASHI UNITED STATES
ARMY for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at
the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Private Joe Hayashi distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 20 and 22 April 1945, near Tendola, Italy. Ordered to attack a strongly defended hill that commanded all approaches to the village of Tendola, Private Hayashi skillfully led his men to a point within 75 yards of enemy positions before they were detected and fired upon. After dragging his wounded comrades to safety, he returned alone and exposed himself to small arms fire in order to direct and adjust mortar fire against hostile emplacements. Boldly attacking the hill with the remaining men of his squad, he attained his objective and discovered that the mortars had neutralized three machine guns, killed 27, and wounded many others. On 22 April 1945, attacking the village of Tendola, Private Hayashi maneuvered his squad up a steep terraced hill to within 100 yards of the enemy. Crawling under intense fire to a hostile machine gun position, he threw a grenade, killing one enemy soldier and forcing the other members of the gun crew to surrender. Seeing four enemy machine guns delivering deadly fire upon other elements of his platoon, he threw another grenade, destroying a machine gun nest. He then crawled to the right flank of another machine gun position where he killed four enemy soldiers and forced the others to flee. Attempting to pursue the enemy, he was mortally wounded by a burst of machine pistol fire. The dauntless courage and exemplary leadership of Private Hayashi enabled his company to attain its objective. Private Hayashi’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.
The President of the United States of America,
authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The
Congress the Medal of Honor to PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JOE M. NISHIMOTO UNITED STATES
ARMY for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at
the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Private First Class Joe M. Nishimoto distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 7 November 1944, near La Houssiere, France. After three days of unsuccessful attempts by his company to dislodge the enemy from a strongly defended ridge, Private First Class Nishimoto, as acting squad leader, boldly crawled forward through a heavily mined and booby-trapped area. Spotting a machine gun nest, he hurled a grenade and destroyed the emplacement. Then, circling to the rear of another machine gun position, he fired his submachine gun at point-blank range, killing one gunner and wounding another. Pursuing two riflemen, Private First Class Nishimoto killed one while the other hastily retreated. Continuing his determined assault, he drove another machine gun crew from its position. The enemy, with their key strong points taken, were forced to withdraw from this sector. Private First Class Nishimoto’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.
The President of the United States of America,
authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The
Congress the Medal of Honor to TECHNICAL SERGEANT YUKIO OKUTSU UNITED STATES ARMY for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at
the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
Technical Sergeant Yukio Okutsu distinguished himself by extraordinary
heroism in action on 7 April 1945, on Mount Belvedere, Italy.
While his platoon was halted by the crossfire of three machine guns,
Technical Sergeant Okutsu boldly crawled to within 30 yards of the nearest enemy
emplacement through heavy fire. He
destroyed the position with two accurately placed hand grenades, killing three
machine gunners. Crawling and
dashing from cover to cover, he threw another grenade, silencing a second
machine gun, wounding two enemy soldiers, and forcing two others to surrender.
Seeing a third machine gun, which obstructed his platoon’s advance, he
moved forward through heavy small arms fire and was stunned momentarily by rifle
fire, which glanced off his helmet. Recovering,
he bravely charged several enemy riflemen with his submachine gun, forcing them
to withdraw from their positions. Then,
rushing the machine gun nest from the flank, he captured the weapon and its
entire crew of four. By these
single-handed actions he enabled his platoon to resume its assault on a vital
objective. The courageous
performance of Technical Sergeant Okutsu against formidable odds was an
inspiration to all. Technical Sergeant Okutsu’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.
The President of the United States of America,
authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The
Congress the Medal of Honor to PRIVATE FIRST CLASS FRANK H. ONO UNITED STATES
ARMY for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at
the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Private First Class Frank H. Ono distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 4 July 1944, near Castellina, Italy. In attacking a heavily defended hill, Private First Class Ono’s squad was caught in a hail of formidable fire from the well-entrenched enemy. Private First Class Ono opened fire with his automatic rifle and silenced one machine gun 300 hundred yards to the right front. Advancing through incessant fire, he killed a sniper with another burst of fire and while his squad leader reorganized the rest of the platoon in the rear, he alone defended the critical position. His weapon was then wrenched from his grasp by a burst of enemy machine pistol fire as enemy troops attempted to close in on him. Hurling hand grenades, Private First Class Ono forced the enemy to abandon the attempt, resolutely defending the newly won ground until the rest of the platoon moved forward. Taking a wounded comrade's rifle, Private First Class Ono again joined in the assault. After killing two more enemy soldiers he boldly ran through withering automatic, small arms, and mortar fire to render first aid to his platoon leader and a seriously wounded rifleman. In danger of being encircled, the platoon was ordered to withdraw. Volunteering to cover the platoon, Private First Class Ono occupied virtually unprotected positions near the crest of the hill, engaging an enemy machine gun emplaced on an adjoining ridge and exchanging fire with snipers armed with machine pistols. Completely disregarding his own safety, he made himself the constant target of concentrated enemy fire until the platoon reached the comparative safety of a draw. He then descended the hill in stages, firing his rifle, until he rejoined the platoon. Private First Class Ono’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.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of
Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of
Honor to PRIVATE GEORGE T. SAKATO UNITED STATES ARMY for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at
the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
Private George T. Sakato distinguished himself by
extraordinary heroism in action on 29 October 1944, on hill 617 in the
vicinity of Biffontaine, France. After
his platoon had virtually destroyed two enemy defense lines, during which he
personally killed five enemy soldiers and captured four, his unit was pinned
down by heavy enemy fire. Disregarding
this fire, Private Sakato made a one-man rush that encouraged his platoon to
charge and destroy the enemy strongpoint. He
proved to be the inspiration of his squad in halting a counter-attack on the
left flank during the reorganization of his platoon. It was at this time that his squad leader was killed.
Taking charge of the squad, he continued his relentless tactics.
Private Sakato used an enemy rifle and P-38 pistol to stop an organized
enemy attack. During this entire
action, he killed 12 and wounded two, personally captured four and assisted his
platoon in taking 34 prisoners. By
continuously ignoring the enemy fire and by his gallant courage and fighting
spirit, he turned impending defeat into victory and helped his platoon complete
its mission. Private Sakato’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.
The President of the United States of America,
authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The
Congress the Medal of Honor to FIRST LIEUTENANT DANIEL K. INOUYE UNITED STATES ARMY for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at
the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
First 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,
First Lieutenant Inouye (then Second Lieutenant) skillfully directed his platoon
through a hail of automatic weapons 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 personal safety, First Lieutenant Inouye boldly 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 with a burst from his submachine gun.
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, he
enabled his platoon to advance through formidable resistance, and was
instrumental in the capture of the ridge. First
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. The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March
3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to SECOND LIEUTENANT RUDOLPH B. DAVILA UNITED
STATES ARMY
for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty: Second Lieutenant Rudolph B. Davila distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 28 May 1944, near Artena, Italy. During the offensive that broke through the German mountain strongholds surrounding the Anzio beachhead, (then) Staff Sergeant Davila risked death to provide heavy weapons support for a beleaguered rifle company. Caught on an exposed hillside by heavy fire from a well-entrenched enemy force, his machine gunners were reluctant to risk putting their guns into action. Crawling 50 yards to the nearest machine gun, Staff Sergeant Davila opened fire on the enemy. In order to observe the effect of his fire, Sergeant Davila fired from the kneeling position ignoring the enemy fire that struck his tripod and passed between his legs. Ordering a gunner to take over, he crawled forward to a vantage point and directed the firefight with hand and arm signals until both hostile machine guns were silenced. Bringing his three remaining machine guns into action, he drove the enemy to a reserve position 200 yards to the rear. When he received a painful wound in the leg, he dashed to a burned tank and, despite the crash of bullets on the hull, engaged a second enemy force from its turret. Dismounting, he advanced 130 yards in short rushes, crawled 20 yards and charged into an enemy-held house to eliminate the defending force of five with a hand grenade and rifle fire. Climbing to the attic, he straddled a large shell hole in the wall and opened fire on the enemy. Although the walls of the house were crumbling, he continued to fire until he had destroyed two more machine guns. His intrepid actions brought desperately needed heavy weapons support to a hard-pressed rifle company and silenced four machine gunners, forcing the enemy to abandon their prepared positions. Staff Sergeant Davila'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. The President of the United States
of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the
name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to STAFF SERGEANT ROBERT T. KURODA UNITED
STATES ARMY
for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty: Staff Sergeant Robert T. Kuroda distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 20 October 1944, near Bruyeres, France. Leading his men in an advance to destroy snipers and machine gun nests, Staff Sergeant Kuroda encountered heavy enemy fire from enemy soldiers occupying a heavily wooded slope. Unable to pinpoint the hostile machine gun, he boldly made his way through heavy fire toward the crest of the ridge. Once locating the machine gun, Staff Sergeant Kuroda advanced to a point within 10 yards of the nest and killed three enemy gunners with grenades. He then fired clip after clip of rifle ammunition upon the enemy, killing or wounding at least three of the enemy. As he expended the last of his ammunition, he observed that an American officer had been struck by a burst of fire from a hostile machine gun located on an adjacent hill. Rushing to the officer's assistance, he found that the officer had been killed. Picking up his submachine gun, Staff Sergeant Kuroda advanced through continuous fire toward the second machine gun emplacement and destroyed the position. As he turned to fire upon additional enemy soldiers, he was killed by a sniper. Staff Sergeant Kuroda’s courageous actions and indomitable fighting spirit, ensured the destruction of enemy resistance in the sector. Staff Sergeant Kuroda'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. The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March
3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to CAPTAIN FRANCIS B. WAIUNITED
STATES ARMY
for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty: Captain
Francis B. Wai distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 20
October 1944, in Leyte, Philippine Islands.
Captain Wai landed at Red Beach, Leyte, in the face of accurate,
concentrated enemy fire from gun positions advantageously located in a palm
grove bounded by submerged rice paddies. Finding
the first four waves leaderless, disorganized, and pinned down on the open
beach, he immediately assumed command. Issuing clear and concise orders and
disregarding heavy enemy machine gun and rifle fire, he began to move inland
without cover through the rice paddies. The
men, inspired by his cool demeanor and heroic example, arose from their
positions and followed him. During
the advance, Captain Wai repeatedly determined the locations of enemy strong
points by exposing himself deliberately and drawing their fire.
In leading an assault upon the last remaining Japanese pillbox in the
area, he was killed by its occupants. Captain
Wai's courageous, aggressive, and inspiring leadership infused the men, even
after his death, with the desire to advance and destroy the enemy.
His intrepid and determined efforts were largely responsible for the
speed with which the initial beachhead was secured.
Captain Wai'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. |
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