*Nakamine, Shinyei
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army,
Company B, 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate). Place and date: La Torreto,
Italy, 2 June 1944. Birth: 21 January 1920, Waianae, Oahu, Hawaii. Entered
service at: Honolulu, Hawaii.
Citation:
Private Shinyei Nakamine distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 2
June 1944, near La Torreto, Italy. During an attack, Private Nakamine’s platoon
became pinned down by intense machine gun crossfire from a small knoll 200 yards to the
front. On his own initiative, Private Nakamine crawled toward one of the hostile weapons.
Reaching a point 25 yards from the enemy, he charged the machine gun nest, firing his
submachine gun, and killed three enemy soldiers and captured two. Later that afternoon,
Private Nakamine discovered an enemy soldier on the right flank of his platoon’s
position. Crawling 25 yards from his position, Private Nakamine opened fire and killed the
soldier. Then, seeing a machine gun nest to his front approximately 75 yards away, he
returned to his platoon and led an automatic rifle team toward the enemy. Under covering
fire from his team, Private Nakamine crawled to a point 25 yards from the nest and threw
hand grenades at the enemy soldiers, wounding one and capturing four. Spotting another
machine gun nest 100 yards to his right flank, he led the automatic rifle team toward the
hostile position but was killed by a burst of machine gun fire. Private Nakamine’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.
