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causing him to lose control. Although having the use of only 1 arm and being partially blinded by the initial explosion, Sfc. Yano completely disregarded his welfare and began hurling blazing ammunition from the helicopter. In so doing he inflicted additional wounds upon himself, yet he persisted until the danger was past. Sfc. Yano's indomitable courage and profound concern for his comrades averted loss of life and additional injury to the rest of the crew. By his conspicuous gallantry at the cost of his life, in the highest traditions of the military service, Sfc. Yano has reflected great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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flaming grenade fragments caused it to catch fire and detonate. Yano received additional wounds as a result of these actions, which caused his death later that day. His actions enabled the crew to regain control of the aircraft, fly to the 93rd
Evacuation Hospital, and land safely. Yano's actions were credited with saving the lives of the others on board the helicopter. He was posthumously promoted to
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fire against the hostile emplacements. A grenade, exploding prematurely, covered him with burning phosphorus, and left him severely wounded. Flaming fragments within the helicopter caused supplies and ammunition to detonate. Dense white smoke filled the aircraft, obscuring the pilot's vision and
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exploded prematurely inside the aircraft; the pilot and co-pilot could not see because of the smoke, and the aircraft began to descend. Despite being burned and partially blinded and having lost the use of one arm, Yano proceeded to throw and kick the remaining ammunition off the helicopter as
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Sfc. Yano distinguished himself while serving with the Air
Cavalry Troop. Sfc. Yano was performing the duties of crew chief aboard the troop's
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helicopter during action against enemy forces entrenched in dense jungle. From an exposed position in the face of intense small arms and
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in 1961, and served in the field of helicopter maintenance. By
January 1, 1969, he was serving as a
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and white phosphorus grenades, thus enabling his troop commander to direct accurate and effective
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Yano Hall – Recreational Public
Facility – Captain Cook, Kona, Big Island of Hawaii
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he delivered suppressive fire upon the enemy forces and marked their positions with
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soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the
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Sergeant First Class Yano's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
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Yano left high school without graduating, joined the Army from
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Burials in the
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
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crew chief and door gunner on the aircraft commanded by
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United States Army personnel killed in the
Vietnam War
488:"Yano, Rodney J T. (MOH), SFC" at TogetherWeServed.com
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List of Medal of Honor recipients for the
Vietnam War
478:(Los Angeles). July 12, 2012; retrieved 2012-12-31.
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548:American military personnel of Japanese descent
301:Yano, aged 25 at his death, was buried in the
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553:Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor
543:United States Army non-commissioned officers
533:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
454:"Medal of Honor Recipients, Vietnam (M-Z)"
452:US Army Center of Military History (CMH),
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303:National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
95:National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
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373:Large, Medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off
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247:Military service and Medal of Honor
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426:List of Medal of Honor recipients
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538:Military personnel from Hawaii
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261:11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
154:11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
351:Yano is the namesake of the
378:Yano Multipurpose Range at
197:Rodney James Takahashi Yano
50:Kealakekua, Kona district,
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259:in the Air Cavalry Troop,
382:, Yano Fitness Center at
361:Shughart class cargo ship
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400:Yano Street - Ft Carson
394:are named in his honor.
279:during combat action in
237:immigrants. Yano was a
233:. His grandparents were
217:—for his actions in the
114:United States of America
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309:Medal of Honor citation
281:Operation Toan Thang II
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392:Fort Novosel, Alabama
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132:Years of service
473:"Big Island Salute,"
305:, Honolulu, Hawaii.
296:Sergeant First Class
286:During the fight, a
263:. On that day, near
144:Sergeant First Class
327:command-and-control
269:Republic of Vietnam
84:Republic of Vietnam
52:Territory of Hawaii
459:2008-04-24 at the
369:United States Navy
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211:United States Army
126:United States Army
331:antiaircraft fire
317:Rodney J. T. Yano
229:Yano was born in
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80:Dong Nai Province
48:December 13, 1943
20:Rodney J. T. Yano
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418:Biography portal
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365:roll-on roll-off
288:white phosphorus
253:Honolulu, Hawaii
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363:. She is a '
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277:John Bahnsen
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189:Purple Heart
160:Battles/wars
70:(1969-01-01)
528:1969 deaths
523:1943 births
504:Rodney Yano
476:Rafu Shimpo
357:(T-AKR-297)
219:Vietnam War
164:Vietnam War
32:Rodney Yano
517:Categories
437:References
273:helicopter
225:Early life
110:Allegiance
44:1943-12-13
384:Camp Zama
380:Fort Knox
339:artillery
185:Air Medal
135:1963–1969
457:Archived
404:See also
347:Namesake
265:Biên Hòa
235:Japanese
120:Service/
99:Honolulu
76:Biên Hòa
291:grenade
267:in the
166: (
240:Sansei
231:Hawaii
177:Awards
122:branch
103:Hawaii
57:Hawaii
388:Japan
353:USNS
335:smoke
74:near
359:, a
355:Yano
150:Unit
140:Rank
65:Died
38:Born
506:at
169:DOW
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206:矢野
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