| 词条 | Vincent Okamoto |
| 释义 |
|name = Vincent Okamoto |image = |alt = 1st Lt. Vincent Okamoto in Vietnam |caption = 1st Lt. Vincent Okamoto in Vietnam |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1943|11|22}} |birth_place = Poston, Arizona, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |other_names = |known_for = |occupation = Soldier, judge |nationality = American | module = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes | allegiance = {{flag|United States of America}} | branch = {{flag|United States Army}} | serviceyears = 1967–1970 | rank = Captain | unit = Company B, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment 25th Infantry Division | commands = | battles = Vietnam War | awards = Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star Bronze Star Purple Heart (with three Oak Leaf Clusters) Vietnam Cross of Gallantry }} | website = }}Vincent Hichiro Okamoto (born November 22, 1943 in Poston, Arizona) is an American attorney, judge, author, and retired United States Army officer. An Army Ranger during the Vietnam War, he is the most highly decorated Japanese American to survive the war.[1] BiographyOkamoto was born November 22, 1943, to an American family of Japanese origin that was interned during the Second World War at the Poston relocation camp in Arizona. He is the youngest of the ten children of Henry and Yone Okamoto. Following the family's release they moved to South Chicago, where his parents ran a small grocery store. The family later moved to Gardena, California, when he was twelve years old. He attended Gardena High School, where he served as senior class president. He was a three-year letter man in track and football and belonged to the Men's Honor Society. US Army and career in VietnamOkamoto attended El Camino College from 1962 to 1965. From 1965 to 1967 he attended University of Southern California (USC) receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations in 1967. He enrolled in the ROTC and was the first non-UCLA student to be commissioned through the UCLA ROTC program. He earned his commission as a U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant. After receiving Ranger training he was given orders to report to Vietnam. In 1968, Okamoto was assigned as the intelligence-liaison officer for two months for the Phoenix Program while attached to Company B of the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Okamoto distinguished himself on 24 August 1968 while serving as a platoon leader with an infantry unit near Dầu Tiếng. A ground attack was launched against his battalion’s night location by three reinforced People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong companies. The initial assault destroyed a strategic section of the perimeter. Under heavy automatic weapons, small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire, Okamoto moved five of his men to restore this vital position. Realizing the need for supporting fire, he ran to a partially destroyed armored personnel carrier and manned its machine gun. After the weapon malfunctioned, he dashed through the fusillade of enemy fire to a second and then a third carrier to place suppressing fire on enemy soldiers.[2] Civilian lifePersonalAfter returning to civilian life, he enrolled in college and attained his law degree at USC. He also married his sweetheart, Mitzi Nishiyama on December 8, 1967. He was also instrumental in establishing the Japanese American Vietnam War Veterans Memorial at the National Japanese American Veterans Memorial Court. LegalOkamoto spent five years as a prosecutor and eight years practicing law privately. On 15 April 2002, Governor Gray Davis appointed Okamoto to the Los Angeles Superior Court bench. He was honored as the 2006 UCLA Veteran of the Year. Okamoto has continued to serve the community on various Veterans boards, in Gardena city government. WritingVincent Okamoto is a novelist as well, having penned Wolfhound Samurai: A Novel of the Vietnam War.[3] His second publication called Forged in Fire: The Story of Hershey and Joe was released in 2012.[4] HonorsOkamoto is the highest-decorated living Japanese-American veteran of the Vietnam War. His medals include
He was inducted Into Ranger Hall of Fame on September 1, 2007. He is the fourth Japanese American (and first since World War II) to receive the honor.[5] Citation for award of the Distinguished Service Cross - The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Vincent Hichiro Okamoto (ASN: OF-1124459), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company B, 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Second Lieutenant Okamoto distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 24 August 1968 while serving as a platoon leader with an infantry unit near Dau Tieng. A ground attack was launched against his battalion's night location by three reinforced North Vietnamese and Viet Cong companies. The initial assault destroyed a strategic section of the perimeter. Under heavy automatic weapons, small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire, Lieutenant Okamoto moved with five of his men to restore this vital position. Realizing the need for supporting fire, he ran to a partially destroyed armored personnel carrier and manned its machine gun. After the weapon malfunctioned, he dashed through the fusillade of enemy fire to a second and then a third carrier to place suppressing fire on the aggressors. Spying a group of enemy soldiers maneuvering toward the unit's lines, Lieutenant Okamoto crawled under cover of small arms and automatic weapons fire to less than ten meters from the communists and destroyed them with fragmentation grenades. He was injured by a hostile concussion grenade, which exploded close to his position, but refusing aid he kept fighting until the North Vietnamese/Viet Cong force was defeated. Second Lieutenant Okamoto's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army. General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 5636 (December 7, 1968) Action Date: 24-Aug-68 Service: Army Rank: Second Lieutenant Company: Company B Battalion: 2d Battalion Regiment: 27th Infantry Regiment Division: 25th Infantry Division References1. ^www.metnews.com/articles {{Arizona during World War II}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Okamoto, Vincent}}2. ^"Patriots: The Vietnam War Remembered from All Sides" by Christian G. Appy, Penguin Books, 2003, page 361. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142004499 www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142004499] 3. ^search.barnesandnoble.com/Wolfhound-Samurai 4. ^[https://www.amazon.com/Forged-Fire-Hershey-Based-Story/dp/0982142188/ www.amazon.com/Forged-Fire-Hershey-Based-Story] 5. ^http://www.rafu.com/okamoto 13 : 1943 births|American army personnel of the Vietnam War|United States Army officers|American military personnel of Japanese descent|American people of Japanese descent|Japanese-American internees|Living people|United States Army Rangers|Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)|Recipients of the Silver Star|People from La Paz County, Arizona|USC School of International Relations alumni |
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