William K. Nakamura facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Kenzo Nakamura
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Private First Class William Nakamura
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| Born | January 21, 1922 |
| Died | July 4, 1944 (aged 22) near Castellina Marittima, Italy |
| Place of burial |
Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park, Seattle, Washington
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| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1943–1944 |
| Rank | Private First Class |
| Unit | 442nd Regimental Combat Team |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
William Kenzo Nakamura was a brave soldier in the United States Army. He was born on January 21, 1922, and sadly passed away on July 4, 1944. William Nakamura received the Medal of Honor, which is the highest award a soldier can get in the United States. He earned this award for his amazing courage during World War II.
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Growing Up in Seattle
William Nakamura was a Nisei, which means he was born in the United States to parents who had moved from Japan. He grew up in Seattle, Washington, in an area that was once called Japantown.
He went to Washington Middle School and then graduated from Garfield High School in Seattle. Later, he attended the University of Washington. He was part of a club for Japanese-American students there.
During World War II, many Japanese-American families, including Nakamura's, were forced to move to special camps. This was because of a government order called Executive Order 9066. William's family was sent to the Minidoka camp in Idaho in 1942.
Joining the Army
Even though his family was in a camp, William Nakamura joined the United States Army in July 1943. He chose to be part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. This was a special army unit made up mostly of Japanese-American soldiers. Many of these soldiers were from Hawaii and other parts of the United States.
A Heroic Act
On July 4, 1944, William Nakamura was fighting in Italy. He was a Private First Class in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Near a place called Castellina Marittima, he showed incredible bravery.
He bravely attacked an enemy machine gun by himself and destroyed it. Later, he volunteered to stay behind and protect his unit as they moved back to safety. While he was doing this, he attacked another enemy machine gun that was shooting at his friends. Sadly, he was killed during this attack.
Receiving the Medal of Honor
Because of his heroic actions in July 1944, William Nakamura was first given the Distinguished Service Cross. This is the Army's second-highest award.
Years later, in the 1990s, the government looked at the records of Asian-American soldiers who had received the Distinguished Service Cross during World War II. They decided that William Nakamura's award should be upgraded 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 William Nakamura'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.
William Nakamura was only 22 years old when he died. He is buried in Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park in Seattle, Washington. Today, a courthouse in Seattle is named the William Kenzo Nakamura United States Courthouse to honor him.
University of Washington Memorial
The University of Washington has a special memorial to honor its students who received the Medal of Honor. This memorial was built to remember eight alumni, including William Kenzo Nakamura, who showed great bravery and earned this highest military award.
The memorial is located on the university campus, near Memorial Way. It was paid for by private donations and was finished in November 2009. It helps everyone remember the courage and sacrifice of these heroes.
See also
