484:
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 August 24, 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.
223:
182:
118:
878:
200:
191:
209:
143:
483:
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
383:
After 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
365:
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
1247:
361:
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.
1115:
1227:
1217:
438:
Okamoto died on Sunday, September 27, 2020. The official cause of death was ruled as a cardiac arrest. He was laid to rest next to his mother, Yone
Okamoto at Green Hills Cemetery.
1267:
654:
1252:
1282:
385:
490:
Action Date: 24-Aug-68 Service: Army Rank: Second
Lieutenant Company: Company B Battalion: 2d Battalion Regiment: 27th Infantry Regiment Division: 25th Infantry Division
1272:
414:
bench. He was honored as the 2006 UCLA Veteran of the Year. Okamoto continued to serve the community on various
Veterans boards, in Gardena city government.
1262:
456:
185:
477:
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.
647:
1146:
1257:
343:
339:
160:
157:
1232:
1222:
912:
640:
541:
1277:
1242:
1141:
1028:
937:
927:
317:
324:
309:
1069:
1136:
747:
76:
1171:
499:
987:
892:
712:
471:
1151:
1089:
1084:
907:
270:
575:
1176:
663:
146:
354:
1166:
897:
411:
320:
and was the first non-UCLA student to be commissioned through the UCLA ROTC program. He earned his commission as a
246:
1181:
1043:
226:
349:
Okamoto distinguished himself on August 24, 1968, while serving as a platoon leader with an infantry unit near
103:
977:
967:
677:
313:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
962:
932:
922:
902:
446:
Okamoto was the highest-decorated living
Japanese-American veteran of the Vietnam War. His medals include
404:
265:
Okamoto was born
November 22, 1943, to an American family of Japanese origin that was interned during the
832:
797:
586:
598:
222:
181:
1237:
1212:
942:
917:
852:
63:
1188:
1156:
1048:
982:
947:
717:
546:
285:
281:
1105:
972:
837:
707:
350:
242:
123:
1110:
877:
692:
466:
305:
293:
254:
241:(November 22, 1943 – September 27, 2020) was an American attorney, judge, author, and retired
203:
487:
General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 5636 (December 7, 1968)
1161:
1120:
1064:
867:
817:
787:
782:
702:
367:
266:
216:
334:. In 1968, Okamoto was assigned as the intelligence-liaison officer for two months for the
862:
857:
842:
742:
737:
722:
603:
353:. A ground attack was launched against his battalion's night location by three reinforced
335:
289:
199:
190:
44:
1079:
1074:
762:
1206:
1033:
957:
952:
847:
772:
687:
560:
277:
827:
807:
767:
752:
450:
212:
208:
519:
1038:
802:
792:
732:
727:
682:
461:
250:
194:
170:
564:
273:
in
Arizona. He was the youngest of the ten children of Henry and Yone Okamoto.
822:
812:
757:
632:
407:
397:
288:, where he served as senior class president. He was a three-year letterman in
697:
559:"Patriots: The Vietnam War Remembered from All Sides" by Christian G. Appy,
542:"JVincent Okamoto, Vietnam War hero and LA Superior Court Judge, dies at 76"
358:
321:
142:
16:
WWII relocation camp internee, US Army officer, judge and author (1943–2020)
280:, where his parents ran a small grocery store. The family later moved to
331:
618:
330:
After receiving Ranger training he was given orders to report to
636:
1248:
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
520:"County's Newest Judge Sworn In, Promises to Protect Rights"
480:
Citation for award of the Distinguished Service Cross –
619:"Vince Okamoto Inducted into Army Ranger Hall of Fame"
1129:
1098:
1057:
996:
885:
670:
176:
166:
152:
137:
129:
109:
99:
82:
71:
52:
30:
23:
386:National Japanese American Veterans Memorial Court
338:while attached to Company B of the 2nd Battalion,
308:from 1962 to 1965. From 1965 to 1967 he attended
1228:American military personnel of Japanese descent
1218:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
587:www.amazon.com/Forged-Fire-Hershey-Based-Story
422:Okamoto was a novelist as well, having penned
648:
424:Wolfhound Samurai: A Novel of the Vietnam War
312:(USC) receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in
276:Following the family's release they moved to
8:
1268:USC School of International Relations alumni
428:Forged in Fire: The Story of Hershey and Joe
284:, when he was twelve years old. He attended
1253:Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)
576:search.barnesandnoble.com/Wolfhound-Samurai
1283:Superior court judges in the United States
655:
641:
633:
400:and eight years practicing law privately.
20:
296:and belonged to the Men's Honor Society.
511:
599:"Judge Vincent Okamoto Dies at Age 76"
535:
533:
1044:Sahuarita Bombing & Gunnery Range
7:
1273:American jurists of Japanese descent
565:www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142004499
1142:Arizona World War II Army Airfields
253:, he was the most highly decorated
1263:People from La Paz County, Arizona
14:
310:University of Southern California
1070:Gila River War Relocation Center
876:
540:Penh, Ronald (October 9, 2020),
426:. His second publication called
221:
207:
198:
189:
180:
141:
116:
77:Rancho Palos Verdes, California
1172:New Mexico during World War II
500:List of Asian American jurists
396:Okamoto spent five years as a
1:
1258:Recipients of the Silver Star
472:Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry
300:US Army and career in Vietnam
1090:Poston War Relocation Center
453:with three oak leaf clusters
316:in 1967. He enrolled in the
1233:Japanese-American internees
1223:United States Army officers
1085:Parker Dam Reception Center
997:Ground training and storage
908:Davis-Monthan Army Airfield
664:Arizona during World War II
457:Distinguished Service Cross
186:Distinguished Service Cross
75:Green Hills Memorial Park,
1299:
1278:Gardena High School alumni
1243:United States Army Rangers
1167:Nevada during World War II
412:Los Angeles Superior Court
227:Vietnam Cross of Gallantry
156:Company B, 2nd Battalion,
874:
410:appointed Okamoto to the
232:
94:
90:
355:People's Army of Vietnam
104:United States of America
1029:Gila Bend Gunnery Range
973:Thunderbird Field No. 2
968:Thunderbird Field No. 1
928:Gila Bend Army Airfield
314:International Relations
239:Vincent Hichiro Okamoto
1075:Leupp Isolation Center
1024:Desert Training Center
978:Williams Army Airfield
963:Sahuarita Flight Strip
933:Hereford Army Airfield
903:Dateland Army Airfield
898:Coolidge Army Airfield
430:was released in 2012.
344:25th Infantry Division
340:27th Infantry Regiment
271:Poston relocation camp
161:25th Infantry Division
158:27th Infantry Regiment
1099:Prisoner of war camps
1080:Mayer Assembly Center
1039:Navajo Ordnance Depot
938:Kingman Army Airfield
913:Douglas Army Airfield
833:Ronald Phillip Tanaka
798:Sidney Preston Osborn
130:Years of service
953:Marana Army Airfield
943:Laguna Army Airfield
923:Falcon Army Airfield
918:Ernest A. Love Field
607:, September 27, 2020
257:to survive the war.
64:Torrance, California
1157:Great Papago Escape
1065:Catalina Honor Camp
1049:Yuma Proving Ground
983:Yucca Army Airfield
718:Robert Taylor Jones
547:Gardena Valley News
403:On April 15, 2002,
370:on enemy soldiers.
286:Gardena High School
282:Gardena, California
1152:Castle Hot Springs
988:Yuma Army Airfield
958:Ryan Army Airfield
948:Luke Army Airfield
838:A. Wallace Tashima
708:Gordon Hirabayashi
563:, 2003, page 361.
243:United States Army
124:United States Army
56:September 27, 2020
1200:
1199:
893:Ajo Army Airfield
853:Jürgen Wattenberg
693:Harry K. Fukuhara
306:El Camino College
304:Okamoto attended
255:Japanese American
236:
235:
217:Oak Leaf Clusters
41:November 22, 1943
1290:
1177:Phoenix Massacre
1162:Machita incident
1137:American Theater
1121:Camp Papago Park
1106:Camp Continental
1058:Internment camps
880:
868:Kenichi Zenimura
818:Shinkichi Tajiri
703:Satoshi Hirayama
657:
650:
643:
634:
627:
626:
615:
609:
608:
595:
589:
584:
578:
573:
567:
557:
551:
550:
537:
528:
527:
516:
368:suppressing fire
267:Second World War
225:
211:
202:
193:
184:
145:
122:
120:
119:
111:
59:
40:
38:
21:
1298:
1297:
1293:
1292:
1291:
1289:
1288:
1287:
1203:
1202:
1201:
1196:
1125:
1094:
1053:
992:
881:
872:
863:Wakako Yamauchi
858:Hisaye Yamamoto
843:Hisako Terasaki
778:Vincent Okamoto
748:Peter MacDonald
738:John F. Kennedy
723:Allen Dale June
713:Philip Johnston
666:
661:
631:
630:
617:
616:
612:
604:Pacific Citizen
597:
596:
592:
585:
581:
574:
570:
558:
554:
539:
538:
531:
524:www.metnews.com
518:
517:
513:
508:
496:
444:
436:
420:
394:
381:
376:
336:Phoenix Program
302:
263:
220:
206:
197:
188:
117:
115:
95:Military career
67:
61:
57:
48:
45:Poston, Arizona
42:
36:
34:
26:
25:Vincent Okamoto
17:
12:
11:
5:
1296:
1294:
1286:
1285:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1250:
1245:
1240:
1235:
1230:
1225:
1220:
1215:
1205:
1204:
1198:
1197:
1195:
1194:
1186:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1139:
1133:
1131:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1102:
1100:
1096:
1095:
1093:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1061:
1059:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
1000:
998:
994:
993:
991:
990:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
925:
920:
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
889:
887:
883:
882:
875:
873:
871:
870:
865:
860:
855:
850:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
780:
775:
770:
768:Michi Nishiura
765:
763:Joe Morris Sr.
760:
755:
750:
745:
743:Yuriko Kikuchi
740:
735:
730:
725:
720:
715:
710:
705:
700:
695:
690:
685:
680:
678:John Brown Jr.
674:
672:
668:
667:
662:
660:
659:
652:
645:
637:
629:
628:
610:
590:
579:
568:
552:
529:
510:
509:
507:
504:
503:
502:
495:
492:
475:
474:
469:
464:
459:
454:
443:
440:
435:
432:
419:
416:
393:
390:
380:
377:
375:
372:
325:2nd Lieutenant
301:
298:
262:
259:
234:
233:
230:
229:
178:
174:
173:
168:
164:
163:
154:
150:
149:
139:
135:
134:
131:
127:
126:
113:
107:
106:
101:
97:
96:
92:
91:
88:
87:
86:Soldier, judge
84:
80:
79:
73:
69:
68:
62:
60:(aged 76)
54:
50:
49:
43:
32:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1295:
1284:
1281:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1249:
1246:
1244:
1241:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1219:
1216:
1214:
1211:
1210:
1208:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1185:
1184:
1183:Thunder Birds
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1134:
1132:
1128:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1111:Camp Florence
1109:
1107:
1104:
1103:
1101:
1097:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1062:
1060:
1056:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1034:Fort Huachuca
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1001:
999:
995:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
890:
888:
884:
879:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
848:Paul Terasaki
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
776:
774:
773:Isamu Noguchi
771:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
689:
688:Jack Fujimoto
686:
684:
681:
679:
676:
675:
673:
669:
665:
658:
653:
651:
646:
644:
639:
638:
635:
624:
620:
614:
611:
606:
605:
600:
594:
591:
588:
583:
580:
577:
572:
569:
566:
562:
561:Penguin Books
556:
553:
549:
548:
543:
536:
534:
530:
525:
521:
515:
512:
505:
501:
498:
497:
493:
491:
488:
485:
481:
478:
473:
470:
468:
465:
463:
460:
458:
455:
452:
449:
448:
447:
441:
439:
433:
431:
429:
425:
417:
415:
413:
409:
406:
401:
399:
391:
389:
387:
378:
374:Civilian life
373:
371:
369:
363:
360:
356:
352:
347:
345:
341:
337:
333:
328:
326:
323:
319:
315:
311:
307:
299:
297:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
278:South Chicago
274:
272:
268:
260:
258:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
231:
228:
224:
218:
214:
210:
205:
201:
196:
192:
187:
183:
179:
175:
172:
169:
165:
162:
159:
155:
151:
148:
144:
140:
136:
132:
128:
125:
114:
108:
105:
102:
98:
93:
89:
85:
83:Occupation(s)
81:
78:
74:
72:Resting place
70:
65:
55:
51:
46:
33:
29:
22:
19:
1190:
1182:
828:Nao Takasugi
808:Hideo Sasaki
777:
753:Doris Matsui
622:
613:
602:
593:
582:
571:
555:
545:
523:
514:
489:
486:
482:
479:
476:
451:Purple Heart
445:
437:
427:
423:
421:
402:
395:
382:
364:
348:
329:
303:
275:
264:
245:officer. An
238:
237:
215:(with three
213:Purple Heart
167:Battles/wars
58:(2020-09-27)
18:
1238:2020 deaths
1213:1943 births
1147:Bushmasters
1019:Camp Laguna
803:Roy I. Sano
793:Kazuo Otani
733:Yosh Kawano
728:Nobe Kawano
683:Thomas Claw
623:Rafu Shimpo
467:Bronze Star
462:Silver Star
357:(PAVN) and
251:Vietnam War
249:during the
247:Army Ranger
204:Bronze Star
195:Silver Star
171:Vietnam War
1207:Categories
1014:Camp Hyder
1004:Camp Bouse
823:Miiko Taka
813:Reiko Sato
758:Pat Morita
506:References
408:Gray Davis
398:prosecutor
100:Allegiance
37:1943-11-22
1116:Camp Pima
1009:Camp Horn
886:Airfields
698:Ira Hayes
359:Viet Cong
351:Dầu Tiếng
322:U.S. Army
261:Biography
133:1967–1970
1130:See also
788:Miye Ota
494:See also
405:Governor
379:Personal
294:football
110:Service/
1191:Arizona
783:Ken Ota
418:Writing
332:Vietnam
269:at the
147:Captain
671:People
442:Honors
177:Awards
121:
112:branch
66:, U.S.
47:, U.S.
434:Death
392:Legal
290:track
1189:USS
318:ROTC
292:and
153:Unit
138:Rank
53:Died
31:Born
1209::
621:.
601:,
544:,
532:^
522:.
388:.
346:.
342:,
327:.
656:e
649:t
642:v
625:.
526:.
219:)
39:)
35:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
