The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished himself at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy of the United States. Due to the nature of this medal, it is commonly presented posthumously.[1] Of the 3,515 Medals of Honor awarded as of 2023,[2] 36 have been awarded to Asian-American recipients.
The first Asian/Pacific Islander to receive the Medal was James Smith, a native Hawaiian, who was awarded the medal in 1872 in peacetime. The first Asian-American Medal of Honor recipient was Charles J. Simons, who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1896 for his actions in the Battle of the Crater in 1864 during the American Civil War.[3]
In 1996, a study determined that Asian Pacific Americans were discriminated against in the awarding of medals during World War II; consequently, 22 had their medals upgraded to the Medal of Honor.[4] Except for those awarded during the 1996 discrimination study the most recent Asian-American recipient of the Medal of Honor was Rodney Yano, who received it for his actions during the Vietnam War.[5]
In 2022, President Joe Biden awarded four Medal of Honors to Vietnam War veterans, two of which are Asian-American veterans Edward N. Kaneshiro and Dennis Fujii,[6] the first awarded to Asian-American soldiers in 26 years (since 1996).
Dennis Fujii is the only currently living Asian-American Medal of Honor recipient as of 2023.
James Smith was the first person of Asian/Pacific Islander descent to be awarded the Medal of Honor, awarded to him in 1872.[7]
Sergeant Charles J. Simons, an Indian-American, was the first person of Asian descent to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Simons was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1896 for his actions during the Siege of Petersburg in 1864.[3]
| Image | Name | Service | Rank | Date of action | Place of action | Unit | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army | Petersburg, Virginia | 9th New Hampshire Infantry Regiment | Was the first into the exploded crater at Petersburg, captured a number of prisoners, and was captured but later escaped. | ||||||
| scope=row | Navy | Greytown, Nicaragua | USS Kansas | Displayed supreme cool and extraordinary heroism in preventing a great loss of life.[8] |
The Philippine–American War[9] was an armed military conflict between the United States and the First Philippine Republic, fought between 1899 and least 1902, which arose from a Filipino political struggle against U.S. occupation of the Philippines. Although the conflict was officially declared over on July 4, 1902,[10] [11] [12] American troops continued hostilities against remnants of the Philippine Army and other resistance groups until 1913, and some historians consider these unofficial extensions part of the war.[12]
During this conflict one Asian American, José Nísperos, received the Medal of Honor for continuing to fight after being seriously wounded.[13]
Telesforo Trinidad received a Medal of Honor after rescuing two men from a boiler explosion and was the second and last Asian-American serviceman to receive the Medal during peacetime.
| scope=col class="unsortable" | Image | scope=col | Name | scope=col | Service | scope=col | Rank | scope=col | Date of action | scope=col | Place of action | scope=col | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row | Army | Lapurap, Basilan | Philippine Scouts | Although seriously wounded, continued to fight until the enemy was repulsed | ||||||||||
| scope=row | Navy | aboard | Rescued two men after a boiler explosion despite being injured.[14] Ensign Cary received a Medal of Honor for the same event.[15] [16] |
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global military conflict, the joining of what had initially been two separate conflicts. The first began in Asia in 1937 as the Second Sino-Japanese War; the other began in Europe in 1939 with the German invasion of Poland. This global conflict split the majority of the world's nations into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers. It involved the mobilization of over 100 million military personnel, making it the most widespread war in history, and placed the participants in a state of total war, erasing the distinction between civil and military resources. This resulted in the complete activation of a nation's economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities for the purposes of the war effort. Over 60 million people, the majority of them civilians, were killed, making it the deadliest conflict in human history.[17] The Allies were victorious, and, as a result, the United States and Soviet Union emerged as the world's two leading superpowers.
During this conflict 464 United States military personnel received the Medal of Honor, 266 of them posthumously. By the end of the war, only two Asian Americans had been awarded the Medal of Honor, Sergeant Jose Calugas of the Philippine Scouts and Private Sadao S. Munemori of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.[18] A 1996 study commissioned by the United States Army by order of Congress investigated racial discrimination in the awarding of medals during World War II.[4] The Command History Office at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center at the Presidio of Monterey, California was tasked with identifying affected service-members and reviewing the records.[4] After performing a review of the files, the study recommended that several Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who received the Distinguished Service Cross during World War II should be upgraded to the Medal of Honor.[4] On June 21, 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded the Medal to 22 Asian Americans, 21 from the aforementioned study,[19] in a ceremony at the White House.[4]
Of the 24 Asian-American awardees, 21 earned the Medal while serving with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team or its component unit, the 100th Infantry Battalion, making the 442nd the most decorated regiment-sized unit of the war.[20] Only two Asian-American officers received the Medal of Honor during World War II:[21] Captain Francis B. Wai who received it for drawing enemy fire to himself to reveal their positions and Second Lieutenant Daniel Inouye who received his medal for destroying two machine gun nests and continuing to fight after being wounded. Inouye became the first U.S. Representative for Hawaii and the first Japanese American congressman; he served as one of Hawaii's U.S. senators from 1963 continuously until his death in 2012.[22]
| scope=col class="unsortable" | Image | scope=col | Name | scope=col | Service | scope=col | Rank | scope=col | Date of action | scope=col | Place of action | scope=col | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row | Army | Culis, Bataan Province, Philippines | 88th Field Artillery Regiment, Philippine Scouts | Under heavy fire, organized and led a gun crew after the original crew had been killed or wounded[23] | ||||||||||
| scope=row | Army | Artena, Italy | 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division | Led his unit by example and, although wounded, single-handedly attacked an enemy-held house[24] | ||||||||||
| scope=row | Army | – , and | near Bruyères and Biffontaine, eastern France | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Assisted an attack on a house, captured a numerically superior force, and single-handedly silenced two machine gun nests | |||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | Cerasuolo, Italy | 100th Infantry Battalion | With his squad leader, destroyed an enemy force despite having to run through heavy fire twice to retrieve new weapons | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | , and | Cerasuolo, Italy | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Led an attack on strongly defended positions and single-handedly silenced three machine guns | |||||||||
| scope=row | Army | Cerasuolo, Italy | 100th Infantry Battalion | Single-handedly silenced a machine gun nest and an anti-aircraft gun | ||||||||||
| scope=row | Army | near San Terenzo, Italy | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Single-handedly destroyed two machine gun nests, continued to fight and lead his platoon after being wounded | ||||||||||
| scope=row | Army | near Lanuvio, Italy | 100th Infantry Battalion | Led successful attacks on four machine gun positions | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near Bruyeres, France | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Single-handedly destroyed two machine gun emplacements | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near Castellina, Italy | 100th Infantry Battalion | Single-handedly attacked two machine guns and, although wounded, captured a third | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near Seravezza, Italy | 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Single-handedly attacked two machine guns before smothering a grenade blast with his body[25] | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near Suvereto, Italy | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Engaged an artillery gun alone, using a mortar | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near Pisa, Italy | 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Held off an enemy attack and continued to fight after being wounded | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near La Torreto, Italy | 100th Infantry Battalion | Single-handedly destroyed a machine gun nest and led attacks on two others | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near Castellina, Italy | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Silenced a machine gun nest and stayed behind to provide covering fire as his unit withdrew | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near La Houssiere, France | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Single-handedly neutralized three machine gun positions | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | – | near Cerasuolo, Italy | 100th Infantry Battalion | Together with a rifleman, held back an attack by a numerically superior force | |||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | – , and | Foret Domaniale de Champ, near Biffontaine, France | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Repeatedly exposed himself to intense fire to treat and evacuate wounded men | |||||||||
| scope=row | Army | Mount Belvedere, Italy | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Single-handedly silenced three machine gun positions | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near Castellina, Italy | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Held an advance position alone, treated wounded men, and remained behind to provide covering fire as his unit withdrew | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near Pieve Di St. Luce, Italy | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Drew fire onto himself so his platoon could reach cover, killed while rescuing a wounded man | ||||||||||
| scope=row | Army | Hill 617, near Biffontaine, France | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Charged an enemy strongpoint, took command of his platoon and led it in defense of their position | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near Molino A Ventoabbto, Italy | 442nd Regimental Combat Team | Although wounded, single-handedly attacked a series of enemy positions | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | Leyte, Philippine Islands | 34th Infantry Regiment | Took command of four assault waves and led by example, drew fire onto himself to reveal enemy positions |
The Korean War was a three-year conflict that began with the North Korean invasion of South Korea following clashes along the border. In a narrow sense, some may refer to it as a civil war, though each side was supported by international actors.[26] After failing to strengthen their cause in the free elections held in South Korea during May 1950[27] and the refusal of South Korea to hold new elections per North Korean demands, the communist North Korean Army moved south on June 25, 1950, to attempt to reunite the Korean peninsula, which had been formally divided since 1948. The conflict was then expanded by the United States and the Soviet Union's involvement as part of the larger Cold War. The main hostilities were during the period from June 25, 1950, until the armistice was signed on July 27, 1953. In the early stages of the war, President Harry Truman sometimes described the conflict under the aegis of the United Nations as a "police action" rather than use the term war.[26] [28]
Three Asian Americans received the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Korean War. Hiroshi H. Miyamura was captured by Chinese forces and held as a prisoner of war for 28 months. For his protection, news of his Medal of Honor award was classified until his release from captivity.[29]
| scope=col class="unsortable" | Image | scope=col | Name | scope=col | Service | scope=col | Rank | scope=col | Date of action | scope=col | Place of action | scope=col | Unit | scope=col class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row | Army | – | Taejon-ni, Korea | 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division | Fought in close quarters combat, stayed behind to provide covering fire while his unit withdrew[30] | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | Private First Class | near Chup'a-ri, Korea | Company H, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division | Although wounded, held a position alone and fought hand-to-hand until being killed[31] [32] | ||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | Private First Class | Pia-ri, Korea | Company C, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division | After being killed fighting the enemy it was determined that he singlehandedly defeated more than 40 of the enemy[33] [34] |
The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, and in Vietnam as “the war against America”, occurred from 1959 to April 30, 1975. The term Vietnam Conflict is often used to refer to events which took place between 1959 and April 30, 1975. The war was fought between the Communist-supported Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the United States supported Republic of Vietnam. It concluded with the defeat and failure of the United States foreign policy in Vietnam.[35] [36] On April 30, 1975, the capital of South Vietnam, Saigon fell to the communist forces of North Vietnam, effectively ending the Vietnam War.[37] Over 8.7 million U.S. forces participated in the Vietnam War; of whom slightly over 47,000 were killed in battle and almost 11,000 more died of non-battle causes.[38]
During the Vietnam War, five Asian Americans received the Medal of Honor, four of them posthumously. Elmelindo Smith, although wounded multiple times was killed while fighting with his unit.[5] Terry Kawamura sacrificed his life by jumping on an explosive charge, saving the lives of two other soldiers, and Rodney Yano sacrificed his life by throwing burning ammunition off of a helicopter after a grenade exploded prematurely.[5] [39] Edward N. Kaneshiro died less than a year after his Medal of Honor action in 1967 and did not receive the Medal until 2022, posthumously.
Dennis Fujii is the only living Asian-American Vietnam War veteran to be awarded the Medal of Honor in person.[6] Fujii is also the only living Asian-American Medal of Honor recipient.
| scope=col class="unsortable" | Image | scope=col | Name | scope=col | Service | scope=col | Rank | scope=col | Date of action | scope=col | Place of action | scope=col | Unit | scope=col class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | Camp Radcliff, Republic of Vietnam | 173rd Engineer Company, 173rd Airborne Brigade | Smothered the blast of an explosive charge with his body | |||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | Republic of Vietnam | 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division | Continued to organize his unit's defense after being repeatedly and mortally wounded | |||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | near Bien Hao, Republic of Vietnam | Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment | Grabbed burning ammunition and threw it from the aircraft after being seriously wounded in a premature grenade explosion aboard a helicopter | |||||||||||
| scope=row style="background:#e3d9ff;" | Army | Kim Son Valley, Vietnam | 9th Cavalry Regiment | During a mission in the Kim Son Valley, on 1 December 1966, his unit came under fire from North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) troops. Kaneshiro crawled forward to attack, using six grenades and an M16 rifle. This saved the lives of U.S. soldiers allowing them to successfully advance.[40] | |||||||||||
| scope=row | Army | Laos & Vietnam | 67th Medical Group | [41] | |||||||||||