Oahu parade honors Japanese-American WWII veterans

[ellisonz]

Alan Rhoads gives a flag to veteran Theodore Wakai before the start of a parade in Waikiki honoring Japanese American WWII veterans, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 in Honolulu.

By Associated Press
POSTED: 07:23 a.m. HST, Dec 17, 2011
LAST UPDATED: 01:08 p.m. HST, Dec 17, 2011

Hundreds of Japanese-American World War II veterans have been honored with a parade in Honolulu — nearly 70 years after they volunteered to fight for their country even as the government branded them "enemy aliens."

The event Saturday celebrated the Congressional Gold Medal the veterans received in Washington, D.C., last month at a ceremony, which some did not attend because of fragile health.

About 200 of them rode through Waikiki in convertibles, troop carriers and trolleys, with a crowd of tourists, family and local residents cheering from the roadside.

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Two-thirds of the Japanese-Americans who served were from Hawaii.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/135737813.html

Four-Forty-Second Infantry— We're the boys of Hawai'i nei— We'll fight for you And the Red, White and Blue, And go to the front... And back to Honolulu-lulu. Fighting for dear old Uncle Sam Go for broke! HOOH! We don't give a damn! We'll round up the Huns At the point of our guns, And vict'ry will be ours! GO FOR BROKE! FOUR-FOUR-TWO! GO FOR BROKE! FOUR-FOUR-TWO! And vict'ry will be ours!

[ellisonz]

1. Amazing.

The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was the most decorated unit, for its size and length of service, in the entire history of the U.S. Military. The 4,000 men who initially came in April 1943 had to be replaced nearly 3.5 times. In total, about 14,000 men served, ultimately earning 9,486 Purple Hearts and an unprecedented eight Presidential Unit Citations.[49] Twenty-one of its members were awarded Medals of Honor.[50] Members of the 442nd received 18,143 awards, including:

21 Medals of Honor (the first awarded posthumously to Private First Class Sadao Munemori, Company A, 100th Battalion, for action near Seravezza, Italy, on April 5, 1945; the others upgraded from other awards in June 2000). Recipients include:
Barney F. Hajiro
Mikio Hasemoto
Joe Hayashi
Shizuya Hayashi
Daniel K. Inouye
Yeiki Kobashigawa
Robert T. Kuroda
Kaoru Moto
Sadao Munemori
Kiyoshi K. Muranaga
Masato Nakae
Shinyei Nakamine
William K. Nakamura
Joe M. Nishimoto
Allan M. Ohata
James K. Okubo
Yukio Okutsu
Frank H. Ono
Kazuo Otani
George T. Sakato
Ted T. Tanouye

52 Distinguished Service Crosses (including 19 Distinguished Service Crosses which were upgraded to Medals of Honor in June 2000)
1 Distinguished Service Medal
560 Silver Stars (plus 28 Oak Leaf Clusters for a second award)
22 Legion of Merit Medals
15 Soldier’s Medals
4,000 Bronze Stars (plus 1,200 Oak Leaf Clusters for a second award; one Bronze Star was upgraded to a Medal of Honor in June 2000. One Bronze Star was upgraded to a Silver Star in September 2009.)
9,486 Purple Hearts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/442nd

[Downwinder]

2. A Rec. for Walt Mackey

Mackey, Walter A; Captain, 442nd Regimental Combat Team officer; Bronze Star Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge, Combat Infantry Badge