Ted T . Tanouye Ted Takayuki Tanouye ( November 14 , 1919 – September 6 , 1944 ) was a Japanese American soldier in the United States Army who posthumously received the United States military ′ s highest decoration for bravery — the Medal of Honor — for his actions in World War II . Biography . Ted " Tak " Tanouye was born in Torrance , California on November 14 , 1919 . The eldest of six children in a Japanese American family , he graduated from Torrance High School in 1938 . At the time of the December 7 , 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor Tanouye was working in the produce department of Ray ′ s Friendly Market , a local Japanese American owned grocery store . On February 19 , 1942 President Franklin D . Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 authorizing the incarceration of Japanese Americans in designated internment camps . Tanouye ′ s parents and siblings were interned in the Jerome War Relocation Center near Jerome , Arkansas . After the Jerome camp was closed on June 30 , 1944 the Tanouye family was transferred to the Rohwer War Relocation Center near Rohwer , Arkansas . Ted Tanouye , however , was never incarcerated ; having enlisted in the U . S . Army on February 20 , 1942 . Tanouye joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team , a unit composed almost entirely of Japanese American soldiers , in 1943 and shipped out for Europe in 1944 . The 442nd was sent to western Italy to aid the Allies ' advance up the northern Italian coast . On July 7 , 1944 — only his third day on the front line — Tanouye was serving as a Technical Sergeant in the 442nd ' s Company K . During a battle on that day , near Molino a Ventoabbto , Italy , he repeatedly advanced ahead of his unit to attack opposing German forces alone , despite intense return fire . Although severely wounded by a grenade blast , he continued to fight until his platoon had succeeded in taking their objective , the crest of " Hill 140 " . Tanouye refused to be evacuated until he had organized a defensive position for his unit . After recovering from his wounds Tanouye returned to the front lines where , on September 1 , 1944 , he was wounded by an exploding land mine near San Mauro , Italy . He died five days later on September 6 , 1944 . Tanouye was buried in Italy . In 1948 his body was exhumed and returned to Los Angeles . A funeral service was held at the Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo and Tanouye was interred in Evergreen Cemetery , Los Angeles , California . For his heroic actions on July 7 , 1944 , Ted T . Tanouye was posthumously awarded the Army ' s second - highest decoration , the Distinguished Service Cross . A 1996 review of service records for Asian Americans who received the Distinguished Service Cross during World War II led to Tanouye ' s award being upgraded to the Medal of Honor . In a ceremony at the White House on June 21 , 2000 , his surviving family was presented with his Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton . Twenty - one other Asian Americans also received the medal during the ceremony , all but seven of them posthumously . In addition to receiving the Medal of Honor , Tanouye was also posthumously awarded the Bronze Star , Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster , European - African - Middle Eastern Campaign Medal , Combat Infantryman Badge , and World War II Victory Medal . Honors . Tech . Sgt . Ted " Tak " Tanouye was honored in 2002 by the city of Torrance , California with a permanent display in the Torrance Historical Society Museum . The Torrance , California National Guard Armory was dedicated on May 19 , 2002 in Tanouye ' s honor . On July 7 , 2004 , a stone and bronze memorial to Tanouye was dedicated in Triangle Park , located across the street from Torrance High School , where Tanouye had graduated in 1938 , in Torrance , California . Medal of Honor citation . Technical Sergeant Ted T . Tanouye ′ s official Medal of Honor citation reads : Technical Sergeant Ted T . Tanouye distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 7 July 1944 , near Molino A Ventoabbto , Italy . Technical Sergeant Tanouye led his platoon in an attack to capture the crest of a strategically important hill that afforded little cover . Observing an enemy machine gun crew placing its gun in position to his left front , Technical Sergeant Tanouye crept forward a few yards and opened fire on the position , killing or wounding three and causing two others to disperse . Immediately , an enemy machine pistol opened fire on him . He returned the fire and killed or wounded three more enemy soldiers . While advancing forward , Technical Sergeant Tanouye was subjected to grenade bursts , which severely wounded his left arm . Sighting an enemy - held trench , he raked the position with fire from his submachine gun and wounded several of the enemy . Running out of ammunition , he crawled 20 yards to obtain several clips from a comrade on his left flank . Next , sighting an enemy machine pistol that had pinned down his men , Technical Sergeant Tanouye crawled forward a few yards and threw a hand grenade into the position , silencing the pistol . He then located another enemy machine gun firing down the slope of the hill , opened fire on it , and silenced that position . Drawing fire from a machine pistol nest located above him , he opened fire on it and wounded three of its occupants . Finally taking his objective , Technical Sergeant Tanouye organized a defensive position on the reverse slope of the hill before accepting first aid treatment and evacuation . Technical Sergeant Tanouye ' s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him , his unit , and the United States Army .