Aloha, Senator Daniel Inouye...Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Sept 7, 1924~Dec 17, 2012

The first Japanese American in Congress, Daniel Inouye was the longest serving current member of the US Senate and the second longest serving Senator in the history of the United States.

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii as a "Nisei" or second generation son of Japanese immigrant farmer from Japan and mother whose parents immigrated from Japan. He grew up in a Japanese American neighborhood and went to graduate from William McKinley High School. 

In 1941, while attending the University of Hawaii as a pre-med student, Daniel Inouye then volunteered to be part of the Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which was essentially made up of 2nd generation Japanese Americans from Hawaii and the mainland.

From sergeant to  platoon leader in 1944, he served in Italy, then on to a region of France where his regimen were to find the "Lost Battalion" surrounded by the German forces. He was then promoted to second lieutenant.

In 1945, Inouye was very seriously wounded by machine guns and was shot in the stomach. Refusing medical aid he lead his men forward to attack the Germans. Crawling to a final bunker and ready to throw his last grenade, Inouye was shot in the elbow by a German's rifle grenade and his arm was partially severed. He transferred the grenade from his useless right hand to the left hand and threw the grenade inside the German's bunker and then finished off the German being wounded again. Inouye's right arm was later amputated in a field hospital.

Inouye remained in the military until 1945, receiving an honorable discharge as a captain of the armed forces. Daniel Inouye was the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. He was initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery, with the award later upgraded to the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton, alongside with 19 other Nisei servicemen who served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

Due to the loss of his arm, Inouye decided against becoming a sergeon and returned to the University of Hawaii and studied Political Science under the G.I. Bill, which provided benefits to returning WWII veterans. He graduated in 1950 with a Political Science Degree and then earned his law degree from the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.c. in 1953. He was elected to the Hawaii territorial House of Representatives the same year, serving two years and was elected to the Hawaii territorial Senate in 1957.

Half way thru his term in the territorial senate, Hawaii achieved statehood. Inouye won a seat in the US House of Representatives as Hawaii's first full member and he took office the day Hawaii became a state, August 21, 1959.

Daniel Inouye was elected to the US Senate in 1962 and re-eleted 8 times. In 2010 he was re-elected for his ninth term and before his death he was going to run for his tenth term in 2016, which would have made him 92 years old.

Senator Daniel Inouye played a significant role in the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. He fought for the reparations of the Japanese Americans who were interned by the US government. President Reagan signed the bill to law which authorized the apologies and reparations to thousands of interned prisoners and acknowledged that what had been during WWII was wrong. 

A fighter and true believer in civil rights and civil liberties, Inouye rejected the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act in 1990 and voted to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

At the time of Senator Daniel Inouye's death he was married to Irene Hirano, the founding chief executive officer at the Japanese American National Museum.

Senator Daniel Inouye was a man of extraordinary devotion, valor, heroism but above all a person of gallantry and leadership. He was the greatest AMERICAN hero of our generation. He was one bad-ass MF!

"My father just looked straight ahead, and I looked straight ahead, and then he cleared his throat and said, 'America has been good to us. It has given me two jobs. It has given you and your sisters and brothers education. We all love this country. Whatever you do, do not dishonor your country. Remember – never dishonor your family. 

And if you must give your life, do so with honor.' 

I knew exactly what he ment. I said, 'Yes, sir. Good-bye."