[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 70 (Wednesday, June 8, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                        TRIBUTE TO DANIEL INOUYE

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, another of my colleagues did attend the 
activities in Italy.
  Winston Churchill once said that ``courage is the first of qualities, 
because it guarantees all others.''
  There can be no doubt that our colleague, Senator Daniel Inouye is a 
man of many qualities--because there can be no doubt that Daniel Inouye 
is a man of remarkable courage.
  Senator Inouye and I were part of the Senate delegation that traveled 
to Europe last week to mark the 50th anniversary of D-day. It was a 
very memorable experience. But what is far more memorable was the 
courage exhibited in World War II by soldiers like Daniel Inouye.

  As a teenager, Daniel Inouye was in Honolulu on December 7, 1941. And 
when the bombs hit, he was pressed into service as head of a first-aid 
team, not returning to his home for a week.
  He would leave his home for a longer period of time beginning in 
March 1943, when he enlisted, and was assigned to the 442d Regimental 
Combat Team of the Fifth Army--a team that would fight in some of the 
bloodiest battles of the European front.
  In the closing months of the war in 1945, the 442d was assaulting a 
heavily defended hill, and Lieutenant Inouye was hit in his abdomen by 
a bullet which came out his back, barely missing his spine.
  He continued to lead the platoon and advanced alone against a 
machinegun nest which had his men pinned down. Lieutenant Inouye tossed 
two handgrenades with devastating effect before his right arm was 
shattered by a German rifle grenade at close range.
  Still, he threw another grenade with his left hand, and continued the 
attack with submachinegun. He did not stop until he was knocked down 
the hill by a bullet in his leg.
  For his courage, Dan Inouye was awarded the Distinguished Service 
Cross, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and 12 other medals and 
decorations.
  Dan Inouye spent 20 months in Army hospitals after losing his right 
arm. In fact, for a period of time, he and I were in different wards at 
Percy Jones Hospital in Battle Creek, MI.
  And I can tell you he was probably the best bridge player in the 
entire hospital. I remember watching him at wee hours of the morning. 
He was fantastic.
  As we all know, Dan Inouye's record of service to his country did not 
end in Italy. It continued to the Hawaii Territorial Legislature, to 
the U.S. House of Representatives as Hawaii's first Congressman, and to 
the U.S. Senate for the past 31 years.
  Mr. President, four decades ago, then-Senator John Kennedy wrote in 
his book, ``Profiles in Courage,'' that, ``The stories of past courage 
can * * * teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But 
they cannot supply courage itself. For this, each man must look into 
his own soul.''
  It is a high privilege to serve alongside a man who, when freedom was 
at stake, looked into his own soul and found an unlimited supply of 
courage.

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