In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Connecting Vets recognizes the 33 Medal of Honor recipients of Asian American or Pacific Islander descent.
1. Yeiki Kobashigawa served in the 100th battalion. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor in the vicinity of Lanuvio, Italy, June 2, 1944. Koboshigawa successfully attacked four machine gun positions.
2. Tech. Sgt. Yukio Okutsu served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor on Mount Belvedere, Italy, April 7, 1945. Tech. Sgt. Okusu single-handedly overtook three machine gun positions.
3. Pfc. William K. Nakamura served in the 100th Infantry Battalion. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for actions near Castellina, Italy, July 4, 1944. Pfc. Nakamura overtook a machine gun nest and then stayed behind to provide cover as his unit withdrew.
4. Cpl. Terry Kawamura served in 173rd Engineer Company, 173d Airborne Brigade, Republic of Vietnam. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Camp Radcliff, Republic of Vietnam, March 20, 1969. Cpl. Kawamura shielded his fellow soldiers from an explosive charge with his body.
5. Tech. Sgt. Ted T. Tanouye served in the 44nd Regimental Combat Team. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for actions near Molino A Ventoabbto, Italy, July 7, 1944.
6. Fireman Second Class Telesforo Trinidad served on the USS San Diego. He was awarded the Medal of Honor after rescuing two men despite being injured on January 21, 1915. He is the only sailor among the 33. Telesforo rescued two men after a boiler explosion despite being injured himself.
7. Pvt. Shizuya Hayashi served in the 100th Infantry Battalion. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions near Cerasuolo, Italy, Nov. 29, 1943.
8. Pvt. Shinyei Nakamine served in the 100th Infantry Battalion. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 2000 for actions near La Torreto, Italy, June 2, 1944.
9. Sgt. 1st Class First Class Rodney J.T. Yano served in the Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions near Bien Hao, Republic of Vietnam, Jan. 1, 1969. Sgt. 1st Class Rodney threw burning ammunition from his aircraft after being seriously wounded in a premature grenade explosion aboard a helicopter.
10. Pvt. Masato Nakae served in the 100th Infantry Battalion. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions near Pisa, Italy, Aug. 19, 1944.
11. Pfc. Kiyoshi K. Muranaga served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 2000 for actions near Suvereto, Italy, June 26, 1944. Pfc. Muranaga engaged an artillery gun alone using a mortar.
12. Pvt. Mikio Hasemoto, a Medal of Honor recipient, served in Company B, 100th Infantry Battalion (Seperate). He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions in the vicinity of Cerasuolo, Italy, Nov. 29, 1943. Pvt. Hasemoto destroyed an enemy force after running through heavy enemy fire twice to retrieve weapons.
13. Staff Sgt. Kazuo Otani served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions near Pieve Di S. Luce, Italy, July 15, 1944. Staff Sgt. Otani was killed while rescuing a wounded man.
14. Pfc. Kaoru Moto served in the 100th Infantry Battalion. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions near Castellina, Italy, July 7, 1944.
15. Sgt. Jose Calugas served in Battery B, 88th Field Artillery, Philippine Scouts, Jan. 16, 1942. Under heavy fire, Sgt. Calugas organized and led a gun crew after the original crew was killed or wounded.
16. Pfc. Joe M. Nishimoto served in the 442nd Regimental Combat. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for actions near La Houssiere, France, Nov. 7, 1944.
17. Second Lt. Rudolph B. Davilla served in Company H, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 1998 for actions near Artena, Italy, May 28, 1944.
18. Technician Fifth Grade James K. Okubo served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions in Foret Domaniale de Champ, near Biffontaine, eastern France, Oct 28-29 and Nov. 4, 1944.
19. Pfc. Herbert K. Pililaau served in Company C, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions near Pia-ri, Korea on Sept. 17, 1951. After his death, it was determined that Pfc. Pililaau killed more than 40 of the enemy force.
20. Sgt. Leroy Mendonca served in Company B, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. He sacrificed his life by remaining in an exposed position and covering the platoon's withdrawal on July 4, 1951. Sgt. Mendonca sacrificed his life by staying behind in an exposed position to cover his platoon's withdrawal.
21. Cpl. Hiroshi H. Miyamura served in Company H, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions near Taejon-ni, Korea, on April 24 and 25, 1951.
22. Pfc. Frank H. Ono served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions near Castellina, Italy, July 4, 1944. Pfc. Ono held an advanced position alone, treated wounded men, and remained behind to provide cover fire as his unit withdrew.
23. Pvt. George T. Sakato served in Company E, 2nd Battalion, 44nd Regimental Combat Team. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for actions in the vicinity of Biffontaine, France, Oct. 29, 1944.
24. Then-Staff Sgt. Elmelindo R. Smith, served as the platoon sergeant of 1st Platoon, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, Feb. 16, 1967. Staff Sgt. Smith continued to organize his unit after being repeatedly and mortally wounded.
25. Staff Sgt. Robert T. Kuroda served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions near Bruyeres, France, Oct. 20, 1944.
26. Capt. Francis B. Wai served in the 34th Infantry Regiment. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for actions in Leyte, Philippine Islands, Oct. 20, 1944. Capt. Wai drew fire onto himself in order to reveal enemy positions.
27. Pvt. Jose B. Nisperos became the first Asian/Pacific American to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on Sept. 24, 1911, while engaged in combat at Lapurap, Basilan, Philippine Islands. He served in the 34th Company, Philippine Scouts. In 1913, having been badly wounded (his left arm was broken and lacerated and with several spear wounds in the body so that he could not stand), Nisperos continued to fire his rifle with one hand until the enemy was repulsed, thereby aiding materially in preventing the annihilation of his party.
28. Then-2nd Lt. Daniel K. Inouye served in the 442nd Infantry Regiment. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions in the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy, April 21, 1945. 2nd Lt. Inouye would go on to become the first U.S. Representative for Hawaii and the first Japanese-American congressman.
29. Pvt. Barney F. Hajiro served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 2000 for actions in the vicinity of Bruyeres and Biffontaine, eastern France, Oct. 19, 22, and 29, 1944.
30. Pfc. Anthony T. Kaho'ohanohano, served in Company H, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his action against the enemy in the vicinity of Chupa-ri, Korea, Sept. 1, 1951.
31. Sgt. Allan M. Ohata served in the 100th Infantry Battalion. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions near Cerasuolo, Italy, Nov. 29 and 30, 1943.
32. Pfc. Sadao S. Munemori served in Company A, 100th Infantry Battalion, 442d Combat Team. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions near Seravezza, Italy, April 5, 1945. Pfc. Munemori single-handedly attacked two machine guns before smothering a grenade blast with his body.
33. Pvt. Joe Hayashi served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for his actions near Tendola, Italy, April 20 and 22, 1945.