Posted on 12/17/2012 3:07:18 PM PST by Perdogg
Medal of Honor Citation:
“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.”
This probably means that Harry Reid is now one vote closer to nuking the filibuster. Inouye was a part of the Gang of 14.
Wow, I didn't realize she was that old. Who is pulling her strings?
If the Wikipedia article on Inouye is to be believed, the MOH citation doesn’t tell the half of it. He’d already been shot in the stomach once and refused evacuation, and was crawling toward another bunker with a grenade out in his right hand when a German rifle grenade hit him in the arm and blew it off...leaving the grenade, spoon still down, clenched in his right fist on the ground. He had to use his left hand to pull the grenade out of his amputated right hand, threw it into the machine-gun nest to clear it out as the German who shot him was reloading, and then finished off one more position firing a Thompson gun left-handed.
And then he had to have more of his shattered arm amputated without anesthetic because he’d already had too much morphine.
}:-)4
What ever happened to that rumored mansion in Hawaii? I always suspected it might be just for her.
Excerpt:
His last words were, “Aloha.”
Sen. Daniel Inouye dies from respiratory complications
http://www.khon2.com/news/local/story/Sen-Daniel-Inouye-dies-from-respiratory/_bVjuWngXE2qRaUsFigwTg.cspx
How is Leahy third in line?
Inoyue was his generation's Carl Hayden. Hayden represented Arizona in Washington from statehood in 1912 until 1969, 57 years to Inoyue's 53. Strom Thurmond (served to 100) was his generation's T.F. Green, who represented Rhode Island until he was 94 and lived to be 98.
Why do Senators keep getting reelected? It used to be seniority. The seniority system has been weakened, but I guess it still is. Stay in long enough and there's a lot of favors you can call in, and that helps for constituent services.
I guess you also become an institution or a symbol if you're around long enough -- or maybe people are just too passive and uninterested to vote you out, or they figure that if you're feeble enough you won't do any harm.
My money for Abercrombie’s choice(*) is Tulsi Gabbard, the new, fresh-faced Congresswoman for Hawaii’s 2d CD:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsi_Gabbard
The state’s other congresscritter is another option, but she is 61 and could not serve for a bijillion years like Inouye did and like Akaka is doing. Those long, long tenures are great for bringing home the bacon, and Abercrombie is all about government largesse.
(*—I don’t know the state’s law and thus don’t know how vacancies in the state’s US Senate seats are filled.)
I don’t give Gabby Giffords credit. She hung around until 4 days after she got her pension. We went without representation for a year.
Abrecrombie might want to run himself, in which case he’d appoint a placeholder.
Entirely possible, and Abercrombie has a huge ego. But it would be a tough sell for two reasons. One, he's 74. Two, he already was in Washington as Honolulu's House Rep for over 30 years, and supposedly ran for governor because he wanted to spend more time there ... yet two years later he suddenly wants to go back? He'd get no extra seniority (from his House days) as a new Senator. I'm guessing Fat Neil stays in Honolulu. But who knows? His ego may be bigger than even I think it is.
I do not wish to detract in any way from the awards earned by Sen Inouye.
That said, each time I see a long delayed award to a prominent or most PC person, I have to ask why now? Bestowed by Bill Clinton (2000?) to a sitting senior senator.
Will Sgt. Peralta be be upgraded?
I do not wish to detract in any way from the awards earned by Sen Inouye.
That said, each time I see a long delayed award to a prominent or most PC person, I have to ask why now? Bestowed by Bill Clinton (2000?) to a sitting senior senator.
Will Sgt. Peralta be be upgraded?
> What ever happened to that rumored mansion in Hawaii? I always suspected it might be just for her.
http://i.imgur.com/nB5Gc.jpg?1
The ones Rush Limbaugh calls the “low-information voters” of SD probably think Johnson has recovered or never even knew about his health problems.
Let's remember him though for his service in WWII, and other things ~ about 3 days before his encounter with Ollie North my spouse and I were at a JACL dinner, and because her mother's brother had won a Silver Star at Monte Casino, someone thought we should be seated with the Senator.
At the time she was pretty occupied with a new baby, but that kept her in touch with the news ~ in between diapers you read it, you watch it, you listen to it.
She asked him if he knew what he was doing going up against Ollie considering he was just about the most phenomenal fund raiser in American history.
He did some senatorial harrumphs and told us he thought he was ready, but you never really knew.
I think it was the following Tuesday evening he knew neither he nor anyone else was ready for Ollie.
That's how we remember him though, an authentic US Senator, who looked like a senator, who could harrumph like a senator, and equivocate like a senator ~ the real deal.
You can like him or not, but he fit the mold. And he was a quite pleasant dinner companion. He knew how to charm the folks.
Sad to see him go ~ should have retired ~ spent some free time on the beach eating sashimi and mashed potatoes with macaroni.
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