Senator Inouye served with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy. On April 21, 1945, Inouye directed his platoon through the small arms fire to capture artillery. Stopped by machinegun fire, Inouye single-handedly destroyed two machinegun emplacements. Refusing evacuation after a severe wound, Inouye directed his platoon until the enemy resistance was broken and his men took up defensive positions. For his heroism, Inouye received the Medal of Honor. After his meritorious military service, Inouye served as Hawaii's first Congressman in 1959. Elected to the Senate in 1963, Inouye served until the end of his life in the U.S. Senate as the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

*The preceding content is not intended as a comprehensive biography, but it highlights their significance as a result of military or civilian distinction, lasting achievements, or association with impactful national events.

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

An excerpt from an interview with Daniel K. Inouye is featured on page 40 of "America’s Unseen Soldiers", a lesson plan from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

Excerpt from an Interview with Daniel K. Inouye

Thank you for your incredible service, both in the military and afterward. You are still an inspiration to so many!

Thank you for your service! I joined the Army from Hawaii when Senator Inouye was a senator. I didn't know all about his exploits as a MOH recipient until much later when I was serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

I was honored to have met Senator Inouye.  His support for the USCG was paramount to upgrading resources and bringing the service's  modernization efforts to fruition.  He is missed by his Hawaii Ohana and all those he helped along the way.  He is a true American hero.

DANIEL KEN INOUYE

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