Medal of Honor Recipient Barney F. Hajiro, Passed Away

[twyacht]

Only 86 living recipients left.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=40952

Medal of Honor: Barney F. Hajiro
by Mike Piccione
01/04/2011



Mr. Hajiro is a 94 year old World War II veteran and the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient. In addition to his Medal of Honor he was also awarded the British Military Medal and the French Legion d’honneur. He was drafted then in March of 1943 he volunteered for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The 442nd went on to become the highest decorated unit in the history of our armed forces. Please take a moment to read the citation of a hero.

Rank: Private
Organization: U.S. Army

Citation
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 a sentry 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, Private Hajiro 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 destroyed two machine gun nests and killed 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.

****

God Speed Private Hajiro.  Lest We Forget.

[tombogan03884]

What is often overlooked is that the 442nd RCT was recruited from Japanese Americans living in relocation camps.
They could not serve in the Pacific due to fears that both sides would shoot them.

[Timothy]

RIP GI.....another of our Greatest begins another journey...

God Bless!

[crusader rabbit]

America is losing these heroes at an astounding daily rate.  Soon, we will have no WWII ex-military left.  Next, it's Korea, and we are losing those vets at an increasingly rapid rate.  Then comes my war--Vietnam.  My comrades in arms are into their 60's and now their 70' and even their 80's.  We won't be around that much longer, either. 

Dear brothers and sisters, when you see a vet take a moment to listen to them.  Their's is the story of America's exceptionalism.  Their's is the story of what made us great. 

And this cantankerous old vet wonders if we still have the stuff necessary to bring America back to our former greatness.

RIP, hero.  I hope St.Peter gives you a nice corner office with a great view.  And I pray he has it stocked as well as the DRTV corner.

Respectfully,
Crusader Rabbit

[PegLeg45]

What is often overlooked is that the 442nd RCT was recruited from Japanese Americans living in relocation camps.
They could not serve in the Pacific due to fears that both sides would shoot them.

Splendid behavior to fight for his country...... even as many of his American countrymen at the time held high animosity towards people of Japanese heritage.
Splendid behavior indeed.

RIP Soldier.





More info on the 442nd:
http://the442.org/home.html

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.

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

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

    * 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:
          o Barney F. Hajiro
          o Mikio Hasemoto
          o Joe Hayashi
          o Shizuya Hayashi
          o Daniel K. Inouye
          o Yeiki Kobashigawa
          o Robert T. Kuroda
          o Kaoru Moto
          o Sadao Munemori
          o Kiyoshi K. Muranaga
          o Masato Nakae
          o Shinyei Nakamine
          o William K. Nakamura
          o Joe M. Nishimoto
          o Allan M. Ohata
          o James K. Okubo
          o Yukio Okutsu
          o Frank H. Ono
          o Kazuo Otani
          o George T. Sakato
          o 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

On October 5, 2010, the Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion