Daniel Inouye, Senator and Medal of Honor Recipient, Dead at 88

[montanadave]

Daniel Inouye, longest serving senator and president pro tempore of the United States Senate, died today from respiratory complications at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/daniel-k-inouye-us-senator-dies-at-88/2012/12/17/61030936-b259-11e0-9a80-c46b9cb1255f_story.html)

Inouye came to Washington as a U.S. Representative in 1959, taking office the day Hawaii became a state. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1963.

Inouye was a WWII vet who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions while leading an assault on a German position in Italy in 1945. Here's a brief summary:

On April 21, 1945, Inouye was grievously wounded while leading an assault on a heavily-defended ridge near San Terenzo in Tuscany, Italy called Colle Musatello. The ridge served as a strongpoint along the strip of German fortifications known as the Gothic Line, which represented the last and most dogged line of German defensive works in Italy. As he led his platoon in a flanking maneuver, three German machine guns opened fire from covered positions just 40 yards away, pinning his men to the ground. Inouye stood up to attack and was shot in the stomach; ignoring his wound, he proceeded to attack and destroy the first machine gun nest with hand grenades and fire from his Thompson submachine gun.

After being informed of the severity of his wound by his platoon sergeant, he refused treatment and rallied his men for an attack on the second machine gun position, which he also successfully destroyed before collapsing from blood loss. As his squad distracted the third machine gunner, Inouye crawled toward the final bunker, eventually drawing within 10 yards. As he raised himself up and cocked his arm to throw his last grenade into the fighting position, a German inside fired a rifle grenade that struck him on the right elbow, severing most of his arm and leaving his own primed grenade reflexively "clenched in a fist that suddenly didn't belong to me anymore". Inouye's horrified soldiers moved to his aid, but he shouted for them to keep back out of fear his severed fist would involuntarily relax and drop the grenade. As the German inside the bunker reloaded his rifle, Inouye pried the live grenade from his useless right hand and transferred it to his left. As the German aimed his rifle to finish him off, Inouye tossed the grenade off-hand into the bunker and destroyed it. He stumbled to his feet and continued forward, silencing the last German resistance with a one-handed burst from his Thompson before being wounded in the leg and tumbling unconscious to the bottom of the ridge. When he awoke to see the concerned men of his platoon hovering over him, his only comment before being carried away was to gruffly order them to return to their positions, since, as he pointed out, "nobody called off the war!"

The remainder of Inouye's mutilated right arm was later amputated at a field hospital without proper anesthesia, as he had been given too much morphine at an aid station and it was feared any more would lower his blood pressure enough to kill him. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Inouye)

Some folks might not have liked his party affiliation; he was, after all, a life-long Democrat. But he was one tough SOB.

R.I.P.

[Magic_Salad0892]

Holy ****ing shit. That is badass.

RIP.

[AKDoug]

Yep. He thought politically opposite from me, but I always had a ton of respect for what he went through.

[Koshinn]

The fact that he volunteered for service when the country was extremely anti-Japanese makes me very proud.

[montanadave]

The fact that he volunteered for service when the country was extremely anti-Japanese makes me very proud.

It is reported that following his return to the United States, while wearing his U.S. Army officer's uniform with the empty sleeve pinned up, Inouye went into a barbershop in San Francisco and was told to get out because "we don't serve japs."

[SeriousStudent]

I think a lot of people may not understand how difficult the Italian campaign was. Much of America's attention at the time was focused on the combat in France and Germany. The 442nd RCT was one of the most heavily-decorated units of the entire war. That he was a member of that unit, is itself worthy of much respect.

Well done, Captain Inouye.

[Koshinn]

It is reported that following his return to the United States, while wearing his U.S. Army officer's uniform with the empty sleeve pinned up, Inouye went into a barbershop in San Francisco and was told to get out because "we don't serve japs."

That period also makes me ashamed. America doesn't always have the moral high ground, but we eventually take it, kicking and screaming. We're still doing it today.

[montanadave]

That period also makes me ashamed. America doesn't always have the moral high ground, but we eventually take it, kicking and screaming. We're still doing it today.

"You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing ... after they've tried everything else." Winston Churchill

[ThirdWatcher]

I'm a lifelong Republican, but I have always respected some of the tougher folks across the aisle... Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Tip O'Neill, and Daniel Inouye come to mind.

[sjc3081]

He may be a war hero but I cannot forgive him for his partisan antics during the Iran Contra hearings.

[Nightvisionary]

He may be a war hero but I cannot forgive him for his partisan antics during the Iran Contra hearings.

Yep, good riddance as far as I am concerned. I was only 16 at the time but I watched the hearings almost every day. The contempt and disrespect Inouye and his democrat compatriots showed to Lt. Col North was attrocious. The composure and bearing North displayed in the face of it made a huge impression on me at the time and was one of the reason I later joined the Marine Corps.

On top of that Inouye had a long time F rating from the NRA so while he was a war hero 70 years ago he had no problem crapping on the constitution for the last 50 years.

I put him in about the same league as Specialist John Stebbins who won the silver star during the Battle of Mogidishu. He did some spectacularly heroic things in combat but that doesn't mean he is not a complete scumbag for things he did later on.

I had a First Sergeant tell our company once during a morning formation, "India! You can build a thousand bridges that never fall down and no one will ever call you a bridge builder, but you suck one $%#& just one %^&# and they will call you a %&^$ sucker for the rest of your life!."

Inouye was no bridge builder.

[Koshinn]

Yep, good riddance as far as I am concerned. I was only 16 at the time but I watched the hearings almost every day. The contempt and disrespect Inouye and his democrat compatriots showed to Lt. Col North was attrocious. The composure and bearing North displayed in the face of it made a huge impression on me at the time and was one of the reason I later joined the Marine Corps.

On top of that Inouye had a long time F rating from the NRA so while he was a war hero 70 years ago he had no problem crapping on the constitution for the last 50 years.

I put him in about the same league as Specialist John Stebbins who won the silver star during the Battle of Mogidishu. He did some spectacularly heroic things in combat but that doesn't mean he is not a complete scumbag for things he did later on.

I had a First Sergeant tell our company once during a morning formation, "India! You can build a thousand bridges that never fall down and no one will ever call you a bridge builder, but you suck one $%#& just one %^&# and they will call you a %&^$ sucker for the rest of your life!."

Inouye was no bridge builder.

This is interesting to me. I heard the other day that one of the main reasons gun legislation had generally been pro gun lately is because the pro gun crowd has many many single issue voters while the anti gun crowd has almost none.

Regardless of his accomplishments in life, his political party and his gun rights stance to you nullifies everything.

The mans family was imprisoned by the government because they were of Japanese ancestry and he still volunteered to fight the war, and did so better than most to put it mildly. If your civil rights were violated, most people would say "**** the government."

I can respect a man even if I disagree with his beliefs. And Inouye is the best example I can think of.

[TAZ]

I respect the man for his service and deeds in the military. His political service...well that's another story.

[Nightvisionary]

This is interesting to me. I heard the other day that one of the main reasons gun legislation had generally been pro gun lately is because the pro gun crowd has many many single issue voters while the anti gun crowd has almost none.

Regardless of his accomplishments in life, his political party and his gun rights stance to you nullifies everything.

The mans family was imprisoned by the government because they were of Japanese ancestry and he still volunteered to fight the war, and did so better than most to put it mildly. If your civil rights were violated, most people would say "**** the government."

I can respect a man even if I disagree with his beliefs. And Inouye is the best example I can think of.

That was a different time. It is a documented fact that Japanese internment prevented many acts of sabotage and espionage. Americans of Japanese decent actively assisted the Japanese military during the war. Look up the Niihau incident as a prime example. Just because he defended the country 70 years ago does not give him a free pass to usurp the constitution for the next fifty years. Benedict Arnold also fought for our country. Does he also get a pass?

[ddnguyen9]

“When my father took time off and we got on the street car. And he was very silent until we got close to the point of departure. He cleared his throat and I knew something was coming. He’s not a scholarly person. I know he struggled and he said:

'This country has been good to us. It has given me two jobs. It had given you and your brothers and your sister education. We owe a lot to this country. Do not dishonor this country. Above all, do not dishonor the family. And if you must die, die in honor.'

I am 18 years old and he is telling me these heavy words. And I always thought to myself, would I be able to say the same thing to my son?”

- Captain Daniel Inouye, a Japanese-American citizen, describing the conversation he had with his father during his trip to volunteer in the armed forces after Pearl Harbor ("The War", PBS TV Series Documentary)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aZ8LNfVzJE

[Koshinn]

That was a different time. It is a documented fact that Japanese internment prevented many acts of sabotage and espionage. Americans of Japanese decent actively assisted the Japanese military during the war. Look up the Niihau incident as a prime example. Just because he defended the country 70 years ago does not give him a free pass to usurp the constitution for the next fifty years. Benedict Arnold also fought for our country. Does he also get a pass?

So wait you're saying that it's ok to jail an entire ethnic group because some of them MIGHT have committed a crime?

Nice to know you can pick and choose parts of the constitution to ignore when it suits you.

[brickboy240]

How does someone that goes through that go on to be a liberal politician?

Boggles the mind.

-brickboy240

[Magic_Salad0892]

Benedict Arnold also fought for our country. Does he also get a pass?

Yes. Because the Americans treated him like shit, time and time again, despite him leading them to victory against the British on several occasions.

After his mother died, he single handedly supported his sister, and alchoholic father. At 15, he fought off the French invasion.

Then during the American Revolution he planned, and led the famous Siege of Fort Ticonderoga. Then his wife died. Then planned and led, the invasion of Quebec. Where he held his position for weeks after being shot, and stranded.

Then the American Army repeatedly gave promotions that he deserved to younger, and less experienced men, and took credit for his wartime achievements. He was then investigated by Congress due to baseless accusations of corruption. While they were creating an alliance with France. The people he fought when he was much younger.

Under those conditions, you can't really blame him for defecting.

[Nightvisionary]

So wait you're saying that it's ok to jail an entire ethnic group because some of them MIGHT have committed a crime?

Nice to know you can pick and choose parts of the constitution to ignore when it suits you.


Im going to go out on a limb and say you probably can't remember a time when our entire nation was faced with destruction by a foreign enemy. When it has been proven that many of those interned had a greater allegiance to the Japanese emperor than they did to America what would your solution have been when faced with the uncertainties of 1942?

[Koshinn]

Im going to go out on a limb and say you probably can't remember a time when our entire nation was faced with destruction by a foreign enemy. When it has been proven that many of those interned had a greater allegiance to the Japanese emperor than they did to America what would your solution have been when faced with the uncertainties of 1942?

Where was that proven? Everything I've read states that the vast majority had more allegiance to the US than Japan, even after the US abused their trust by illegally imprisoning them. We're not talking about a dozen highly suspect Japanese infiltrators here, we're talking about every single person of Japanese ancestry in the US mainland, no matter how many generations ago their family immigrated. Over 120,000 people, the majority having US citizenship. Even if there were 1000 sympathizers, that wouldn't even be close to justifying the imprisonment of over 100x that number based on nothing but race.

I can't believe you're agreeing with and are trying very hard to justify one of the worst acts the US government has committed in the last century. Not the absolute worst, but very bad.

I would not have thrown away the Constitution because I thought it was convenient. It's a slippery slope once you start down that path. And it flies in the face of the oath you took as a United States Marine.

[Honu]

his name was common place in the islands for sure !!

sad to hear of his passing

I think his democratic originally was more like Kennedy
the ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for the country type of democrat

being from Hawaii and a few here who might have also lived most their life there or even more than a few years know the islands are not the mainland !!! they maintain much of the 3rd world culture and values and the Japanese folks still have Japanese values same as Philippine folks and mainland folks etc.. so the ideas of how we live our lives in the Islands can never really translate to mainlanders that easy so I can totally see how he was a democrat and a great guy

I had a lot of liberal friends but they never let it change them or get in the way of things !!! if all of them could be more like that we would not be so divided