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FReeper Canteen ~ Hallof Heroes: Barney F. Hajiro ~ 28 February 2016
Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | StarCMC and The Canteen Crew

Posted on 02/28/2016 5:01:08 PM PST by 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.

ArmyPatch small   NavySeal small   Air Force Seal   Marines Seal small   Coast Guard Seal small (better)
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! 

 


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: canteen; heroes; military; troopsupport
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To: All; Kathy in Alaska; StarCMC; beachn4fun; LUV W; PROCON; radu; SkyDancer; SandRat; ...

*Good Morning To The Canteen*


Thank you for honoring hero Barney F. Hajiro, Kathy.
I Wish You All A Great Week
*HUGS*

121 posted on 02/29/2016 5:37:09 AM PST by MEG33 (God Bless America And Our Troops)
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To: MEG33
Woo-Hoo, morning MEG!

Another sunny day here on the upper left coast, howz things with you?

122 posted on 02/29/2016 6:06:46 AM PST by PROCON
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To: Kathy in Alaska

It is usually the same folks every week...kind of a “classic rock music cult”! LOL! :-)


123 posted on 02/29/2016 6:11:48 AM PST by left that other site (You shall know the Truth, and The Truth Shall Set You Free.)
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To: PROCON

Happy Monday, Pro...Started off a bit foggy but sun is peeking through. I have mounds of paperwork to sort and file.
I have been putting it off so long..I must get started!


124 posted on 02/29/2016 6:13:40 AM PST by MEG33 (God Bless America And Our Troops)
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To: beachn4fun

Thank you for your beautiful card. Many FRpeer’s have sent me condolences for my girl. Why is it more painful to lose a devoted pet than a relative?


125 posted on 02/29/2016 6:14:18 AM PST by SkyDancer ("Nobody Said I Was Perfect But Yet Here I Am")
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To: E.G.C.

Good morning EG ((HUGS))

All is well; getting ready to start on chores.

Happy Monday


126 posted on 02/29/2016 7:25:40 AM PST by beachn4fun (It's not a mental issue, it's an attitude issue.)
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To: MEG33

Good morning Meg ((HUGS))

Happy Monday.


127 posted on 02/29/2016 7:26:05 AM PST by beachn4fun (It's not a mental issue, it's an attitude issue.)
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To: SkyDancer
Why is it more painful to lose a devoted pet than a relative?

I don't know. It just is. Maybe because we see them as helpless and we take care of them more?

128 posted on 02/29/2016 7:28:12 AM PST by beachn4fun (It's not a mental issue, it's an attitude issue.)
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To: beachn4fun; y'all; Arrowhead1952; E.G.C.; GodBlessUSA; ConorMacNessa; Kathy in Alaska; HiJinx; ...

Gooood Monday Mornin', Early Birds!
Wonder why I'm so chipper?
I'm off on a Monday...and slept late! wOOt!
Hope all of you had a GREAT weekend!
...and pretty weather!
We did, too, Beachy!
I wonder if it will hold?
Anyhooooo....all y'all have a Mahv'lus Monday!
...and if you work? Pace yourselves! :)
(((hugs)))

129 posted on 02/29/2016 7:40:35 AM PST by luvie (Cruz or Lose! "Where the vision is lost, the people perish"--Proverbs 29:18)
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To: LUV W

Good morning and Happy Monday night owl ((HUGS))


130 posted on 02/29/2016 8:19:37 AM PST by beachn4fun (It's not a mental issue, it's an attitude issue.)
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To: MEG33; LUV W; Kathy in Alaska; beachn4fun

131 posted on 02/29/2016 8:32:15 AM PST by SandRat (Duty - Honor - Country! What else needs said?)
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To: LUV W

“Gooood Monday Mornin’,”

Well, thank you for that you cute, little sweetheart! ;-)


132 posted on 02/29/2016 8:53:16 AM PST by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Why does every totalitarian, political hack think that he knows how to run my life better than I?)
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To: LUV W

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


133 posted on 02/29/2016 9:24:27 AM PST by E.G.C.
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To: spel_grammer_an_punct_polise

Dude!

Aren’t you nice this day [I started to say this morning...but it’s not any more. LOL]


134 posted on 02/29/2016 10:08:24 AM PST by luvie (Cruz or Lose! "Where the vision is lost, the people perish"--Proverbs 29:18)
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To: beachn4fun

Thanks, Beachy! Hope you are taking it easy today! :)


135 posted on 02/29/2016 11:46:44 AM PST by luvie (Cruz or Lose! "Where the vision is lost, the people perish"--Proverbs 29:18)
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To: LUV W

“Aren’t you nice this day”

Nice this day? I am nice all of the time.....even when I am being a devil! LOL


136 posted on 02/29/2016 12:30:58 PM PST by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Why does every totalitarian, political hack think that he knows how to run my life better than I?)
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To: spel_grammer_an_punct_polise

Duuuuuude!


137 posted on 02/29/2016 1:38:39 PM PST by luvie (Cruz or Lose! "Where the vision is lost, the people perish"--Proverbs 29:18)
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To: LUV W
TOMMORROW IS A SPECIAL DAY.


138 posted on 02/29/2016 4:30:55 PM PST by SandRat (Duty - Honor - Country! What else needs said?)
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