Yeiki Kobashigawa facts for kids
- In this Japanese name, the family name is Kobashigawa.
Yeiki Kobashigawa (born September 28, 1917 – died March 31, 2005) was a brave soldier in the United States Army. He is remembered for his amazing actions during World War II, which earned him the Medal of Honor. This is the highest award a soldier can receive for showing incredible courage.
Early Life and Family
Yeiki Kobashigawa was born in a place called Hilo, which is in Hawaii. His parents had moved to Hawaii from Japan. Because he was born in America, but his parents were from Japan, he was called a Nisei. This special word means he was a second-generation Japanese-American.
Joining the Army
Just one month before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Yeiki Kobashigawa decided to join the U.S. Army. This was in November 1941.
He chose to be part of a special army group called the 100th Infantry Battalion. This group was made up mostly of Nisei soldiers, like himself. Many of these soldiers were Japanese-Americans from Hawaii and other parts of the United United States.
A Hero's Actions
In June 1944, Yeiki Kobashigawa showed incredible bravery. Because of his actions, he was first given the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). This was the Army's second-highest award for courage.
Years later, in the 1990s, the government looked back at the records of Asian American soldiers who had received the DSC during World War II. They realized that some of these brave soldiers, including Kobashigawa, deserved an even higher honor.
So, his Distinguished Service Cross was changed to the Medal of Honor. On June 21, 2000, a special ceremony was held at the White House. President Bill Clinton personally gave Yeiki Kobashigawa his Medal of Honor. Twenty-one other Asian American soldiers also received this medal that day. Only seven of them were still alive to accept it in person.
Related Pages
Images for kids
-
The Medal of Honor, a very special award for bravery.
