Kazuo Otani facts for kids
- In this Japanese name, the family name is Otani.
Kazuo Otani was an American soldier who showed amazing bravery during World War II. He was born on June 2, 1918, and sadly passed away on July 15, 1944. For his heroic actions, he was given the Medal of Honor, which is the highest award for bravery a soldier can receive in the United States.
His Early Life
Kazuo Otani was born in California. His parents had moved to America from Japan. He was known as a Nisei, which means he was a Japanese-American whose parents were born in Japan, but he was born in America.
During World War II, many Japanese-American families, including Otani's, were forced to move to special camps. His family was sent to the Gila River War Relocation Center in Arizona.
Joining the Army
In 1943, Otani joined the U.S. Army. He volunteered to be part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. This was a special army unit made up almost entirely of Nisei soldiers. These brave Japanese Americans came from Hawaii and the mainland United States.
A Hero's Medal
In July 1944, Otani showed incredible courage. For his actions, he was first given the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). This was the second-highest award for bravery in the Army.
Kazuo Otani was only 26 years old when he passed away. He was buried in Veterans Liberty Cemetery in Fresno, California.
Years later, in the 1990s, the military reviewed the records of many Asian American soldiers who had received the DSC during World War II. They found that Otani's bravery was so great that his award should be upgraded. On June 21, 2000, his family received his Medal of Honor from President Bill Clinton at the White House. Twenty-one other Asian American soldiers also received this high honor that day.
Related pages
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
- List of Asian American Medal of Honor recipients
- Posthumous recognition
