Rule 2: Go For Broke! CPT Daniel Inouye (The 442nd Infantry Regiment)

Daniel Inouye was a distinguished U.S. Senator and a decorated military veteran who played a significant role in U.S. history, both in his military service during World War II and in his long tenure in the United States Congress.

Born on September 7, 1924, in Honolulu, Hawaii, Daniel Inouye was of Japanese descent. When the United States entered World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor, anti-Japanese sentiment was widespread. Nonetheless, when the U.S. Army lifted its ban on Japanese-American enlistment in 1943, Inouye volunteered to join the army. He became a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, an all-Nisei (second-generation Japanese American) unit that would become one of the most decorated units of the war for its size and length of service.

During his service in the 442nd Regiment, Inouye quickly distinguished himself as a soldier. He became a sergeant and earned a battlefield commission to second lieutenant due to his leadership and bravery. Inouye’s actions in combat are the stuff of legend, particularly his heroism during a battle in the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy, in April 1945. Inouye neutralized multiple enemy positions even after being shot and seriously wounded. He continued to lead his platoon in an assault on a heavily defended ridge that guarded an important road junction. Inouye’s right arm was shattered by a German grenade, and he later had it amputated at a field hospital without proper anesthesia.

For his actions, Inouye was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, which was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor, the United States’ highest military award for valor. The belated upgrade to the Medal of Honor in 2000 came after it was determined that Japanese American soldiers’ contributions were overlooked during the war due to racial discrimination.

Inouye returned home a war hero and pursued a career in law and politics, serving as Hawaii’s first U.S. Congressman when it achieved statehood in 1959 and, shortly after, as a U.S. Senator from 1963 until his death in 2012. Throughout his career, Inouye was known for his quiet dignity, commitment to bipartisan cooperation, and advocacy for the people of Hawaii and veterans.

Senator Daniel Inouye remained a prominent figure in the Senate until his passing on December 17, 2012, leaving behind a legacy as a member of the “Greatest Generation” who defended his country’s ideals on the battlefield and in the halls of government. “Go For Broke” is the motto for the 442nd Infantry Regiment.