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During and immediately after World War II, only two
Asian-Americans were awarded Medals of Honor: Philippine Scout
Jose Calugas and Nisei hero Sadao Munemori of the 34th Infantry
Division. Meanwhile, the all Japanese American 100th Infantry
Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team generated an unprecedented record
of valor, earning 33 Distinguished Service Crosses, 559 Silver Stars,
4,000 Bronze Stars, nearly 10,000 Purple Hearts and EIGHT Presidential
Unit Citations. Fifty years after the war, Congress ordered a
review of all high awards to these brave soldiers to determine if some
of them should have received the Medal of Honor. Following the
review, 22 Asian-Americans saw their awards upgraded to Medals of
Honor. All but two of these awards went to men of the 100th
Infantry (known as the Purple Heart Battalion) or its parent
442nd RCT known as the Go For Broke Regiment. On June 21,
2000 President William Clinton presented Medals of Honor to seven of
these heroes who were still living, and to family members of the other
fifteen.
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Jose Calugas
Sergeant, U.S. Army
Born: December
29, 1907 at Barrio Tagsing, Leon, Iloilo, Philippine Islands
Entered Service: Fort Stotsenburg, Philippine Islands
Date/Place of Action: January
16, 1942 - Culis, Bataan Province, Philippine Islands
Unit: Philippine
Scouts, Battery B, 1st Bn, 88th Field Artillery, 23d Division
Presentation: Presented
At Pampanga, Camp Olivas, Philippine Islands
By General George C. Marshall
on April 30, 1945
Date of Death: January
18, 1998
Buried at:
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Mikio Hasemoto
Private, U.S. Army
Born: July
13, 1916 at Honolulu, Hawaii
Entered Service: Schofield
Barracks, Hawaii
Date/Place of Action: November
29, 1943 - Cerasuolo, Italy
Unit: Company
B, 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate)
Presentation: Presented
To His Family At the White House
By President William J. Clinton on June
21, 2000
Date of Death: November
29, 1943 (Killed In Action)
Buried at:
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