"Second Lieutenant Daniel K. Inouye distinguished himself by
extraordinary heroism in action on 21 April 1945, in the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy. While attacking a defended ridge guarding an important road junction,
Second Lieutenant Inouye skillfully directed his platoon through a hail
of automatic weapon and small arms fire, in a swift enveloping movement
that resulted in the capture of an artillery and mortar post and brought
his men to within 40 yards of the hostile force. Emplaced in bunkers
and rock formations, the enemy halted the advance with crossfire from
three machine guns. With complete disregard for his personal safety,
Second Lieutenant Inouye crawled up the treacherous slope to within five
yards of the nearest machine gun and hurled two grenades, destroying
the emplacement. Before the enemy could retaliate, he stood up and
neutralized a second machine gun nest. Although wounded by a sniper's
bullet, he continued to engage other hostile positions at close range
until an exploding grenade shattered his right arm. Despite the intense
pain, he refused evacuation and continued to direct his platoon until
enemy resistance was broken and his men were again deployed in defensive
positions. In the attack, 25 enemy soldiers were killed and eight
others captured. By his gallant, aggressive tactics and by his
indomitable leadership, Second Lieutenant Inouye enabled his platoon to
advance through formidable resistance, and was instrumental in the
capture of the ridge. Second Lieutenant Inouye's extraordinary heroism
and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of
military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the
United States Army."
From 2nd Lt. Inouye's Medal of Honor citation, awarded on June 21, 2000.
May you be at peace,
Brian
No comments:
Post a Comment