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Another member of the Greatest Generation gone


Utah Bob #35998

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And a very special one. Pvt. Barney Hajiro died at the age of 94 today in Hawaii.

He was a member of the 442nd Reg. Combat Team. The most decorated unit in the Army. Rest in Peace sir.

Pvt. Hajiro's Citation :FlagAm:

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R.I.P. <<SALUTE>>

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Salute indeed.

 

 

Hey Bob, wasn't there a MOH recepient at the Auburn/Oregon National Championship game? I thought I recognized the Medal being worn by someone on the field.

 

 

..........Widder

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Salute indeed.

 

 

Hey Bob, wasn't there a MOH recepient at the Auburn/Oregon National Championship game? I thought I recognized the Medal being worn by someone on the field.

 

 

..........Widder

 

Yes. Ssgt Sal Giunta, the most recent recipient, was there.

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Salute.

 

It is for these of the greatest generation that Taps seems so appropriate.

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RIP Pvt Hajiro, God Speed. Thank you for your highest commitment to preserve our republic.

We lose more of these genuine heroes every day...

I pray that we, and our next generations are equally up to the task...... when duty calls.

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Pvt. Hajiro, I salute you you. We cannot thank you enough for the things you have done for us. Rest In Peace. You have earned it.

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As you may recall, the Reserves called me up and I'm working inside the Pentagon (three more days of work before I start outprocessing!). There is a display on the 3rd floor A ring of, "The Last Remaining World War One Veterans." There are only seven or eight people pictured, and since the display was first put up most of them have died. One of them was a veteran of the German army who became a US citizen after the fact. Another was a veteran of both the Canadian and US armies. I'd love to hear his story.

 

I periodically go back and look to see who is still around, but right now I'm not sure if there are any. There are more "died on" dates every time I look. It's sad.

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As you may recall, the Reserves called me up and I'm working inside the Pentagon (three more days of work before I start outprocessing!). There is a display on the 3rd floor A ring of, "The Last Remaining World War One Veterans." There are only seven or eight people pictured, and since the display was first put up most of them have died. One of them was a veteran of the German army who became a US citizen after the fact. Another was a veteran of both the Canadian and US armies. I'd love to hear his story.

 

I periodically go back and look to see who is still around, but right now I'm not sure if there are any. There are more "died on" dates every time I look. It's sad.

 

 

Frank Buckles

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^That's awesome. I recognize his picture from the display, but I'm not sure I have the heart to go look for a date of death.

 

According to Wikipedia, Mr. Buckles is yet alive and will be 110 years old on February 1. He is the last US veteran of WWI and one of only three survivers worldwide. The other two are in the UK and are also 109 at this time.

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Thanks for posting this Bob.

 

I have in my possession a book titled "And Then There Were Eight". It was given to me by a close family friend George Buto, who I've always called my "Uncle George". He presented it to me when I accompanied him to the dedication of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles a number of years ago.

 

You see, Uncle George is Nisei. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, most all of the people in our old neighborhood enlisted.....including my Mom, who joined the Navy and Uncle George, who joined the Army and ended up in I Company, 442nd Regimental Combat Team - the "Go For Broke" unit.

 

This book has approx. 450 pages and contains a great deal of information on all the men of I Company, including Pvt. Barney F. Hajiro. I wish I could share all the information on this hero with you. His MOH Citation is just the tip of the iceberg, as they say. Pvt. Hajiros' platoon leader was Sgt. Sadaichi Kubota. Sgt. Kubota says this about Barney Hajiro: "In a man's transient journey through life, many leave "footprints on the sands of time." But there is none more deeply imprinted than that of Barney F. Hajiro who led the attack that opened a path effecting the rescue of over 200 entrapped fellow soldiers of the 36th Division." He goes on to say "My observation is that Hajiro's movement was not spontaneous. It was calculated. He saw mounting casualties. For him, death was apparent. Yet, he saw the need of a job to be done - to obliterate the cause of the slaughter. In his consciousness, he had accepted the inevitable and plunged in to search for and annihilate the machine-gun nests."

 

Back in Camp Shelby, engraved on a piece of log above the company commander's office doorway are the words: "THE DIFFICULT WE DO IMMEDIATELY, THE IMPOSSIBLE TAKES A LITTLE LONGER" Sgt. Kubota says - "These words certainly epitomize the soldier, Barney F. Hajiro - A Hero"

 

So rest in peace, Pvt. Hajiro. I salute you. You will never be forgotten.

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According to Wikipedia, Mr. Buckles is yet alive and will be 110 years old on February 1. He is the last US veteran of WWI and one of only three survivers worldwide. The other two are in the UK and are also 109 at this time.

 

Harry Patch, last UK WW1 veteran dies.

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(Salute.) RIP and Godspeed, Pvt. Hajiro! We owe you and others MOH recipients and others who have served throughout American history a dept that can only be repayed by dedicating ourselves to carry on the efforts to keep America free and to pass to our descendents the spirit of service to our country.

 

Godspeed to those still in harm's way in the defense of Freedom everywhere! God Bless America!

 

Your humble servant,

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Bob,

 

Apparently there two other WWI veterans living. Claude Choules in Australia and Mrs. Florence Green in England. Here are links to their stories:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Choules

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Green

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Buckles

 

Apparently Mr. Buckles is the oldest, b. 2/1/01, followed by Mrs. Green, b. 2/19/01, and Mr Choules., b. 3/3/01.

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:FlagAm:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nzhSIAxpgw&feature=geosearch :FlagAm:

 

Wish this was better.I'll have to go do one.This was the unvieling he may have been here,a few of them were.

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