Shizuya Hayashi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shizuya Hayashi
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Shizuya Hayashi
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| Nickname(s) | Cesar |
| Born | November 28, 1917 Waialua, Oahu, Hawaii |
| Died | March 12, 2008 (aged 90) Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1941 – 1945 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | 100th Infantry Battalion |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross |
- In this Japanese name, the family name is Hayashi.
Shizuya Hayashi (November 28, 1917-March 12, 2008) was a United States Army soldier. He received the Medal of Honor because of his actions in World War II.
Early life
Hayashi was born in Waiakea, Hawaii. He was the son of immigrants who were born in Japan. He was a Nisei, which means that he was a second generation Japanese-American.
Soldier
Nine months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hayashi joined the US Army in March 1941. He was given the nickname "Cesar" because his sergeant could not pronounce his name.
Hayashi volunteered to be part of the all-Nisei 100th Infantry Battalion. This army unit was mostly made up of Japanese Americans from Hawaii and the mainland.
For his actions in November 1943, Hayashi was awarded the Army's second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). In the 1990s, there was a review of service records of Asian Americans who received the DSC during World War II. Hayashi's award was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. In a ceremony at the White House on June 21, 2000, he was presented with his medal by President Bill Clinton. Twenty-one other Asian Americans also received the medal during the ceremony, but only seven of them were still alive.
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