Sadao Munemori

Sadao Munemori (born August 17, 1922-April 5, 1945) was a United States Army soldier.Tamashiro, Ben H. "The Congressional Medal of Honor: Sadao Munemori,"  The Hawaii Herald, March 15, 1985; retrieved 2012-12-7.  He received the Medal of Honor because of his actions in World War II.US Army Center of Military History (CMH), "Medal of Honor Recipients, World War II (M-S)" ; retrieved 2012-12-7.

 Early life 
Munemori was born in Los Angeles, California to Japanese immigrant parents. He is a Nisei, which means that he is a second generation Japanese-American.Niiya, Brian. (1993). "Munemori, Sadao," Japanese American History: An A-To-Z Reference from 1868 to the Present, p. 241.

During World War II, Munemori's parents and siblings were interned at the Manzanar concentration camp.

Soldier
Two months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he joined the US Army.U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), WWII Army Enlistment Record #30102563 (Munemori, Sadao S.); retrieved 2012-12-7.

Munemori volunteered to be part of the all-Nisei 100th Infantry Battalion.Go for Broke National Education Center,  "Medal of Honor Recipient Private First Class Sadao S. Munemori" ; retrieved 2012-12-7.  This army unit was mostly made up of Japanese Americans from Hawaii and the mainland. "100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry" at Global Security.org; retrieved 2012-12-7.

For his actions in April 1945, he was the only Japanese American to be awarded the Medal of Honor during or immediately after World War II."Sadao S. Munemori"  at MiltaryTimes.com; as context, compare "Army Secretary Lionizes 22 World War II Heroes" at Defense.gov ; retrieved 20121-12-24.

Medal of Honor citation
Munemori’s Medal of Honor recognized his conduct in frontline fighting in northern Italy in 1945.  Without help from others, he attacked two machine guns before smothering a grenade blast with his body.

The words of Munemori's citation explain:
He fought with great gallantry and intrepidity near Seravezza, Italy. When his unit was pinned down by grazing fire from the enemy's strong mountain defense and command of the squad devolved on him with the wounding of its regular leader, he made frontal, one-man attacks through direct fire and knocked out two machine guns with grenades. Withdrawing under murderous fire and showers of grenades from other enemy emplacements, he had nearly reached a shell crater occupied by two of his men when an unexploded grenade bounced on his helmet and rolled toward his helpless comrades. He arose into the withering fire, dived for the missile and smothered its blast with his body. By his swift, supremely heroic action Pfc. Munemori saved two of his men at the cost of his own life and did much to clear the path for his company's victorious advance.

Namesake
Sadao Munemori is the namesake of a part of the California highway system, a ship, a building and an American Legion post.
 Sadao S. Munemori Memorial Interchange between I-105 and I-405 highways in Los AngelesAoyagi-stom, Caroline.  "A Hometown Honor for Sadao Munemori?"  Pacific Citizen. April 18, 2008;  "California 1993-94 Senate Concurrent Resolution 41," September 9, 1994; retrieved 2012-12-7.
 USNS Private Sadao S. Munemori (T-AP-190), a troop shipNaval Historical Center, Dictionary Of American Naval Fighting Ships,  "Private Sadao S. Munemori" ; retrieved 2012-12-7.
 Sadao S. Munemori Hall at the US Army Reserve Center in West Los Angeles"Army Facility Memorializes WW II Hero," Los Angeles Times. June 13, 1993; retrieved 2012-12-7.
 Sadao Munemori American Legion Post 321 in Los Angeles

Related pages
 List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
 List of Asian American Medal of Honor recipients
 Posthumous recognition

 References 
120px|right|thumb|Medal of Honor

Other websites 

 Image of Munemori Memorial Interchange in LA 
 Image of statue of Munemori at Pietrasanto Italy 

Category:1922 births
Category:1945 deaths
Category:People from Los Angeles
Category:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
Category:American people of World War II
Category:Military people from California