FReeper Canteen ~ Hallof Heroes: Barney F. Hajiro ~ 28 February 2016

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | StarCMC and The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces.

Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today!

~ Hall of Heroes ~

Barney F. Hajiro

Info from here.

           

Barney F. Hajiro (September 16, 1916 – January 21, 2011) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.

Hajiro was born in Hawaii, the eldest of nine children born to Japanese immigrant parents who had moved from Hiroshima to Maui during World War I. Two of his siblings died in infancy. The family was poor, and Hajiro left school to work, first in the sugarcane fields of Maui and later as a stevedore in Honolulu.  Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and performed menial labor as part of an engineering battalion.

In March 1943, he volunteered to join the newly-formed 442nd Regimental Combat Team, composed of Nisei (second-generation Japanese Americans) like himself. The unit was sent to Europe and in May 1944 fought the Germans in Italy, north of Rome. From there the 442nd was redeployed to France, and on October 19, 1944 was fighting near Bruyères and Biffontaine in the eastern part of that country. Over the next ten days, Hajiro, a private in Company I, repeatedly distinguished himself in battle. He exposed himself to enemy fire while assisting an allied attack on October 19, and three days later he and a comrade ambushed an 18-man enemy patrol. On October 29, during the rescue of the so-called "Lost Battalion", which had been surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains, he single-handedly destroyed two German machine gun emplacements before being wounded. Shot in the shoulder and wrist, Hajiro's left arm was partially paralyzed. He was able to rejoin the 442nd in Monte Carlo, but was barred from further combat duty. He was then sent back to the United States to recover.

For his actions during October 1944, Hajiro received the Army's second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross and the World War II Victory Medal (United States), before being discharged. In 1948, he was awarded the Military Medal by the British government for his part in rescuing the Lost Battalion. A 1990s review of service records for Asian Americans who had received the Distinguished Service Cross during World War II led to Hajiro's award being upgraded to the Medal of Honor. In a ceremony at the White House on June 21, 2000, he was presented with the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton. Twenty-one other Asian Americans also received the medal during the ceremony, all but six of them posthumously. Four years later, in 2004, the French awarded Hajiro the Légion d'honneur.

Following the death of John William Finn on May 27, 2010, Hajiro became the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient. Hajiro died January 21, 2011 in Waipahu, Hawaii.

Hajiro's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

Private Barney F. Hajiro distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 19, 22, and October 29, 1944, in the vicinity of Bruyeres and Biffontaine, eastern France. Private Hajiro, while acting as a sentry on top of an embankment on October 19, 1944, in the vicinity of Bruyeres, France, rendered assistance to allied troops attacking a house 200 yards away by exposing himself to enemy fire and directing fire at an enemy strong point. He assisted the unit on his right by firing his automatic rifle and killing or wounding two enemy snipers. On October 22, 1944, he and one comrade took up an outpost security position about 50 yards to the right front of their platoon, concealed themselves, and ambushed an 18-man, heavily armed, enemy patrol, killing two, wounding one, and taking the remainder as prisoners. On October 29, 1944, in a wooded area in the vicinity of Biffontaine, France, Private Hajiro initiated an attack up the slope of a hill referred to as "Suicide Hill" by running forward approximately 100 yards under fire. He then advanced ahead of his comrades about 10 yards, drawing fire and spotting camouflaged machine gun nests. He fearlessly met fire with fire and single-handedly destroyed two machine gun nests and killed two enemy snipers. As a result of Private Hajiro's heroic actions, the attack was successful. Private Hajiro's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit, and the United States Army.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission! 

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hope her healing continues and she can resume some of her activities, even if she now needs a driver.

[Kathy in Alaska]

She decided today is her last day on the computer and doing email. She’s still rearranging her genealogy stuff, so she does have things to do.

And she was happy with her nuked, not baked, potato.

[radu]

Any particular reason for not wanting to email any more? That’s one of the best things about having internet - - - being able to stay in touch with people and not having outrageous phone bills. LOL

Playing with genealogy is fun, at least. It’s interesting learning about family history. Dad and my aunt started digging into ours and I helped a little with it. Once you get digging, it can be addictive!

[radu]

Oh, forgot......so the nuked potato came out to her satisfaction? Made for a good day for her. :-)

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Monday morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

((HUGS))Good morning, Ladies. Thanks for this morning's thread, Star. How's it going?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Mooch...another hero. You are so right...no victims there.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Yes...I think the window will be a plus. We will see how the glare works out.

[Kathy in Alaska]

She has to read everything with a magnifying glass, and even that is sometimes not enough. She just can’t see what buttons to push anymore. It is quite a chore.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...Bo catch anything lately?

You guys have a great Monday.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, unique.

radu.....#100!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Prayers for Arrowhead's recovery, and in his absence....

[Kathy in Alaska]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning/afternoon/evening/night Troops, wherever you are.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep all of us free and safe.

Thanks, unique, for the pastries.

Coffee is always on........

How about a donut?

Cookies?

Veggies?

Sandwich?

[Kathy in Alaska]

God bless and keep safe our troops worldwide.

Good night.

Statler Brothers ~ How Great Thou Art

[Kathy in Alaska]

[E.G.C.]

Monday morning coffee bump.

No, but we ran into quite a few people out at the lake yesterday.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Mondays are my favorite day.
A distinguished man from a distinguished unit.

[beachn4fun]

my border collie passing and saw I was pretty broken up about it;

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Canteen.

Good morning to our

Military, our Allies, and their families.

Thank you, Star and Ma, for preparing
the Canteen for today's activities.
Rest in Peace, Barney F. Hajiro
with the rest of our gone heroes.
Job well done.

Happy Monday…
to some of us at least. LOL…
sorry to those who have to go back to work this morning.

So? How was everyone's weekend?
Did some of you have a spring-like weekend like us?
Yesterday was really nice.
Hubby and I did a 3 mile walk, which
I'm feeling this morning.

Okay, I don't watch the Oscars;
I don't care about who wins
(I don't watch every movie ever made),
I have to say, based on the news,
that it is nothing but a political platform.
Why are they turning it into all of their pet "causes"?
I mean if Leo wants to talk about global warming,
do it another time, not when you are supposed
to talk about your role and
why you were lucky to get the role; whatever.
Just one more reason I don't watch.

Now for happier thoughts...

Gonna make my rounds.
Please stay right where you are.
Chat up the military or a family member.
No need to fret...you know I'll be back!

The FR Canteen is

Come in and sit for a while.
There's always plenty of coffee, tea,
pancakes, conversation, silliness,
and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM ~ DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before.

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, Beach. How’s it going?