Kobashigawa, Yeiki
Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant,
U.S. Army, Company B, 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate). Place and date:
Lanuvio, Italy, 2 June 1944. Birth: 28 September 1917, Hilo, Hawaii
Entered service at: Honolulu, Hawaii.
Citation:
Technical Sergeant Yeiki Kobashigawa distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in
action on 2 June 1944, in the vicinity of Lanuvio, Italy. During an attack, Technical
Sergeant Kobashigawa’s platoon encountered strong enemy resistance from a series of
machine guns providing supporting fire. Observing a machine gun nest 50 yards from his
position, Technical Sergeant Kobashigawa crawled forward with one of his men, threw a
grenade and then charged the enemy with his submachine gun while a fellow soldier provided
covering fire. He killed one enemy soldier and captured two prisoners. Meanwhile,
Technical Sergeant Kobashigawa and his comrade were fired upon by another machine gun 50
yards ahead. Directing a squad to advance to his first position, Technical Sergeant
Kobashigawa again moved forward with a fellow soldier to subdue the second machine gun
nest. After throwing grenades into the position, Technical Sergeant Kobashigawa provided
close supporting fire while a fellow soldier charged, capturing four prisoners. On the
alert for other machine gun nests, Technical Sergeant Kobashigawa discovered four more,
and skillfully led a squad in neutralizing two of them. Technical Sergeant
Kobashigawa’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.
