Daniel Inouye

Politician

September 7, 1924 Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

December 17, 2012 Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Irene Hirano (m. 2008), Maggie Shinobu Awamura (m. 1949)

Daniel Inouye was an American army veteran and senator. He was one of the few persons to be decorated with both the ‘Medal of Honor’ and the ‘Presidential Medal of Freedom,’ two of the highest honors awarded by the U.S.A. After his distinguished service in World War II, he became one of the longest-serving senators of the U.S.A. While serving the ‘442nd Regiment,’ he was recognized for his courageous acts and quickly rose through the ranks. Due to his bravery, he came close to dying in a battle and lost his right arm. After he was honorably discharged, he learned political science and law and joined politics. From 2010 until he died in 2012, he became the “President pro tempore of the United States Senate,” the third in the line of succession to the presidential position. He was also the highest-ranking Asian–American politician in history.