Robert T. Kuroda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Toshio Kuroda
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| Born | November 8, 1922 Aiea, Territory of Hawaii (now State of Hawaii) |
| Died | October 20, 1944 (aged 21) near Bruyères, France |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1943–1944 |
| Rank | Staff Sergeant |
| Unit | 442nd Regimental Combat Team |
| Battles/wars | World War II † |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
Robert Toshio Kuroda (born November 8, 1922 – died October 20, 1944) was a brave soldier in the United States Army. He received the Medal of Honor, which is the highest award for military bravery in the United States. He earned this award for his actions during World War II.
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Early Life and Joining the Army
Robert Kuroda was born in Aiea, Hawaii. His parents had moved there from Japan. This made him a Nisei, which is a term for a second-generation Japanese-American. Robert was trained to be an electrician. However, he decided to join the U.S. Army in March 1943 when he was 20 years old.
A Heroic Soldier
Robert Kuroda volunteered to join the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. This special army unit was made up mostly of Japanese Americans. Many of them were from Hawaii and the mainland United States.
On October 20, 1944, Robert Kuroda was a staff sergeant in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Near a town called Bruyères in France, he showed incredible courage. He bravely attacked two enemy machine gun positions all by himself. Sadly, he was then killed by a sniper.
For his heroic actions, he was first given the Distinguished Service Cross. This is the Army's second-highest award. Later, in the 1990s, the records of Asian Americans who received this award during World War II were reviewed. Because of this review, Robert Kuroda's award was changed to the Medal of Honor.
On June 21, 2000, a special ceremony was held at the White House. President Bill Clinton presented the Medal of Honor to Robert Kuroda's family. Twenty-one other Asian American soldiers also received the Medal of Honor that day. Most of these awards were given after the soldiers had passed away.
Robert Kuroda was 21 years old when he died. He is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Finding a Lost Ring
In 2021, a man in France was walking in the forest near Bruyères. He was using a metal detector and found something special: Robert Kuroda's high school class ring! After searching for many months, the man was able to return the ring to Robert Kuroda's family in 2022.
Other Ways He Is Remembered
A U.S. Army ship, the USAV SSGT Robert T. Kuroda (LSV-7), is named in his honor.
See also
