Barney F. Hajiro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barney F. Hajiro
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Barney F. Hajiro, Medal of Honor recipient
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| Born | September 16, 1916 Territory of Hawaii |
| Died | January 21, 2011 (aged 94) Maunalani Care Home, Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Buried |
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
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| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942 – 1945 |
| Rank |  Private First Class |
| Unit | 442nd Regimental Combat Team |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |  Medal of Honor Bronze Star Purple Heart |
Barney Fushimi Hajiro (September 16, 1916 – January 21, 2011) was an American soldier who fought bravely in World War II. He received the Medal of Honor, which is the highest military award for courage in the United States.
Contents
Barney Hajiro's Early Life
Barney Hajiro was born in Hawaii in 1916. He was one of nine children. His parents had moved to Maui from Japan before he was born.
His family was not wealthy. Barney left school early to help support his family. He worked in sugarcane fields and later as a stevedore (someone who loads and unloads ships) in Honolulu.
Serving in the U.S. Army
Joining the War Effort
After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Barney Hajiro was drafted into the U.S. Army. At first, he did basic labor tasks in an engineering group.
In March 1943, Barney volunteered for a special unit called the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. This team was made up mostly of Nisei soldiers. Nisei means they were second-generation American citizens of Japanese descent. Many of them were from Hawaii and the U.S. mainland.
Fighting in World War II
The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was sent to Europe. In May 1944, they fought against German forces in Italy, north of Rome. After that, the unit moved to France.
In October 1944, the 442nd was fighting near the towns of Bruyères and Biffontaine in eastern France. Over ten days, Barney Hajiro, who was a private, showed incredible bravery.
- On October 19, he bravely faced enemy fire to help his fellow soldiers attack.
- Three days later, he and another soldier surprised an enemy patrol of 18 men.
- On October 29, during the rescue of the "Lost Battalion" (a group of American soldiers surrounded by Germans), Barney single-handedly destroyed two German machine gun nests.
Later, in another fight, he was shot in the shoulder and wrist. This injury left his left arm partly paralyzed. He was able to rejoin his unit in Monte Carlo, but he could no longer fight. He was then sent back to the United States to recover.
Awards and Recognition
Barney Hajiro was recommended for the Medal of Honor for his brave actions in October 1944. He first received the Distinguished Service Cross and the World War II Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged from the Army.
After the war, in 1948, the British government gave him the Military Medal. Years later, in the 1990s, the U.S. military reviewed the records of Asian American soldiers who had received the Distinguished Service Cross during World War II. As a result, Barney Hajiro's Distinguished Service Cross was upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
On June 21, 2000, President Bill Clinton presented Barney Hajiro with the Medal of Honor at the White House. Twenty-one other Asian American soldiers also received the Medal of Honor that day. In 2004, the French government awarded Barney the Legion of Honor.
Later Years and Passing
Barney Hajiro was the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient for seven months before he passed away. He died on January 21, 2011, in Waipahu, Hawaii.
Military Awards and Decorations
Barney Hajiro received many awards for his service, including:
- Medal of Honor
- Bronze Star Medal
- Purple Heart
- Army Presidential Unit Citation
- Army Good Conduct Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- British Military Medal
- French Legion of Honor
- French Liberation Medal
- Combat Infantryman Badge
See also
