Congressional Record—Senate S5584
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S5584 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 22, 2000 debate final amendments. Votes will Kazuo Otani, Staff Sergeant, 442nd Due to the shock at the attack on begin at 2 p.m. on the remaining RCT; Pearl Harbor and an unfortunate igno- amendments and on final passage of George Sakato, Private, 442nd RCT; rance by some of the culture and racial foreign operations and on any votes or- Ted Tanouye, Technical Sergeant, makeup of the citizens of Hawaii, there dered in relation to the Labor appro- 442nd RCT; were individuals who opposed Japanese priations bill. Further votes are ex- Francis Wai, Captain, 34th Division. Americans serving in the Territorial pected throughout this evening’s ses- Mr. President, these 22 Medal of Guard. The 370 Japanese Americans sion. I thank my colleagues for their Honor recipients have joined an elite who had served faithfully, willingly, cooperation. group of soldiers honored for excep- and patriotically during the weeks fol- tional valor in service to our country. lowing Pearl Harbor, were dismissed f It may have taken half a century, but from the Territorial Guard because of RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME the passage of time has not diminished their ancestry. Instead of rebelling, re- signing, or protesting, these men wrote The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the magnificence of their courage. to the Commanding General of the Ha- the previous order, the leadership time These 22 men truly represent the best waiian Department and stated their is reserved. that America has to offer. They an- swered the call to duty and proved that ‘‘willingness to do their part as loyal f patriotism is solely a circumstance of Americans in every way’’ and offered MORNING BUSINESS the heart. These men answered the call themselves for ‘‘whatever you may see of duty with conviction and courage, at fit to use us.’’ The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under a time when these virtues were most in These men formed the Varsity Vic- the previous order, there will now be a demand by a needy Nation. In the face tory Volunteers and worked at the period for the transaction of morning of discrimination and injustice at quarries, constructed roads, helped business, not to extend beyond the home, these men set aside personal construct warehouses, renovated quar- hour of 10 a.m., with the time to be consideration to defend our great Na- ters, strung barbed wire, and built equally divided between the Senator tion on foreign battlefields. By their chairs, tables, and lamps. They even from Hawaii, Mr. AKAKA, and the ma- actions, these 22 men proved that pa- donated blood and bought bonds. We jority leader, or his designee. triotism is not based on the color of cannot forget that these men were stu- The Senator from Hawaii. one’s skin, but on the courage and dents and could have been making money in white collar jobs. f strength of one’s convictions. Instead, they devoted their time to I am pleased to have contributed to TRIBUTE TO ASIAN PACIFIC doing what they could to help the mili- the process that finally led to the ap- AMERICAN MEDAL OF HONOR tary. It was this group of Japanese propriate recognition of these soldiers. WINNERS American volunteers, the Varsity Vic- Legislation initiated by the Senate re- tory Volunteers, who were eventually Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I stand quired the military to review the here today to pay tribute to the 22 men given the authorization by the War De- records of all Asian Pacific American partment to form the 442nd Regimental who received the Medal of Honor yes- recipients of the Navy Cross or Distin- Combat Team, which would earn the terday. As has been indicated by a guished Service Cross during World distinction as the ‘‘most decorated unit number of my colleagues, one of those War II to determine if any merit up- for its size and length of service in the recipients is my dear friend and col- grade to the Medal of Honor. history of the United States.’’ league from Hawaii, Senator DANIEL K. Many times I have been asked why I Their motto, ‘‘Go for Broke,’’ is a INOUYE. I extend my heartfelt con- thought review was necessary. The re- perfect description of their spirit and gratulations to: view provision was offered and adopted character as men and as a fighting Senator DANIEL K. INOUYE, Second out of concern that Asian Pacific unit. The 442nd and 100th Battalion Lieutenant, 442nd Regimental Combat American veterans have never been captured enemy positions and rescued Team; fully recognized for their military con- comrades. They completed missions Rudolph Davila, Staff Sergeant, 3rd tributions during the Second World that seemed impossible. Ignoring dan- Army; War. ger, they repeatedly placed themselves Barney Hajiro, Private First Class, Many in Hawaii know of the exploits in harm’s way, gaining a reputation for 442nd RCT; of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd fearless and fierce fighting. Through- Mikio Hasemoto, Private, 100th Bat- Regimental Combat Team. It came as a out the Army their bravery earned talion; surprise that few on the mainland were them the nickname the ‘‘Purple Heart Joe Hayashi, Private First Class, familiar with the service of this fa- Battalion.’’ 442nd RCT; mous all-Nisei, second generation Jap- In 1943, when the War Department de- Shizuya Hayashi, Private, 100th Bat- anese unit, or of the secret Military In- cided to accept Nisei volunteers, over talion; telligence Service whose members 1,000 Hawaii Nisei volunteered on the Yeiki Kobashigawa, Technical Ser- served in the Pacific. first day. The spirit and attitude of geant, 100th Battalion; Twenty of the twenty two Medal of these volunteers is captured in the sen- Robert Kuroda, Staff Sergeant, 442nd Honor recipients honored yesterday ior Senator from Hawaii’s memoir, RCT; and today are from the 100th Infantry ‘‘Journey to Washington.’’ Kaoru Moto, Private First Class, Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat I want to read an excerpt from the 100th Battalion; Team. Of the remaining two recipients, book describing an exchange between Kiyoshi Muranaga, Private First Sergeant Francis Davila served with young DAN INOUYE and his father as he Class, 442nd RCT; the 7th Infantry and Captain Francis left to report for induction. Masato Nakae, Private First Class, Wai served with the 34th Division. After a long period of silence between us, 100th Battalion; Few people realize the history of the he said unexpectedly, ‘‘You know what ‘on’ means?’’ Sinyei Nakamine, Private, 100th Bat- 442nd Regimental Combat Team. On ‘‘Yes,’’ I replied. On is at the very heart of talion; December 7, 1941, during the attack on Japanese culture. On requires that when one William Nakamura, Private First Pearl Harbor, a call went out for all man is aided by another, he incurs a debt Class, 442nd RCT; University of Hawaii ROTC members to that is never canceled, one that must be re- Joe Nishimoto, Private, 442nd RCT; report for duty. These students, most paid at every opportunity. ‘‘The Inouyes have great on for America,’’ Allan Ohata, Staff Sergeant, 100th of whom were Americans of Japanese my father said. ‘‘It has been good to us. And Battalion; ancestry, responded to the call and now it is you who must try to return the James Okubo, Technical Sergeant, were fully prepared to defend the goodness. You are my first son, and you are 442nd RCT; United States. 370 of the Japanese very precious to your mother and me, but Yukio Okutsu, Technical Sergeant, American ROTC cadets were sworn you must do what must be done.’’ 442nd RCT; into the Hawaii Territorial Guard and Mr. President, for over 60 years, my Frank Ono, Private First Class, 442nd guarded the most sensitive and impor- friend and colleague, the senior Sen- RCT; tant installations in Hawaii. ator from Hawaii, has returned to VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:29 Dec 04, 2013 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2000SENATE\S22JN0.REC S22JN0 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY June 22, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5585 America the goodness and service to ice honored by our Government and the of Public Law 104–106. It was for this honor his father’s admonition. On the Government of the Philippines. purpose: field of battle in Italy, in the terri- While working to have Colonel Review regarding upgrading of Distin- torial legislature, and for over 40 years Sakakida’s service acknowledged with guished-Service Crosses and Navy Crosses in Congress, DAN INOUYE has served his appropriate decoration, I realized that awarded to Asian-Americans and Native country with distinction and courage. there were many war heroes whose val- American Pacific Islanders for World War II His leadership on national defense, iant service had been overlooked. I re- service. civil rights, and a host of other issues called that only two Asian Pacific It required the Secretary of the have made America a stronger and bet- Americans received the Medal of Honor Army to review the records relating to ter country. I am proud to serve with for service during World War II. The the awards of the Distinguished-Serv- him in the United States Senate. number seemed too low when you con- ice Cross and the Secretary of the Navy Mr. President, the people of Hawaii sider the high-intensity combat experi- to review the records relating to the are also very proud that 12 of the 22 enced by the 100th and 442nd, the serv- Navy Cross awarded to these people to men awarded the Medal of Honor are ice of 12,000 Filipino Americans in the determine whether or not the people from Hawaii. U.S. Army, and the dangerous assign- who had received those awards should My Honolulu office received a call ments taken by the 6,000 members of be upgraded to the Medal of Honor.