Robert T. Kuroda

Infobox Military Person
name=Robert T. Kuroda
born=birth date|1922|11|8
died=death date and age|1944|10|20|1922|11|8
placeofbirth=Aiea, Hawaii
placeofdeath=near Bruyères, France
placeofburial=


caption= Robert T. Kuroda, Medal of Honor recipient
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=
rank=Staff Sergeant
commands=
unit=442nd Regimental Combat Team
battles=World War II
awards=Medal of Honor
relations=
laterwork=

Robert T. Kuroda (November 8 1922 – October 20 1944) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.

Biography

On October 20 1944, Kuroda was serving as a Staff Sergeant in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. On that day, near Bruyères, France, he single-handedly attacked two enemy machine gun emplacements before being killed by a sniper. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Army's second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross. A 1990s review of service records for Asian Americans who received the Distinguished Service Cross during World War II led to Kuroda's award being upgraded to the Medal of Honor. In a ceremony at the White House on June 21 2000, his surviving family was presented with his Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton. Twenty-one other Asian Americans also received the medal during the ceremony, all but seven of them posthumously.

Kuroda, aged 21 at his death, was buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Medal of Honor citation

Staff Sergeant Kuroda's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

Staff Sergeant Robert T. Kuroda distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action, on 20 October 1944, near Bruyeres, France. Leading his men in an advance to destroy snipers and machine gun nests, Staff Sergeant Kuroda encountered heavy fire from enemy soldiers occupying a heavily wooded slope. Unable to pinpoint the hostile machine gun, he boldly made his way through heavy fire to the crest of the ridge. Once he located the machine gun, Staff Sergeant Kuroda advanced to a point within ten yards of the nest and killed three enemy gunners with grenades. He then fired clip after clip of rifle ammunition, killing or wounding at least three of the enemy. As he expended the last of his ammunition, he observed that an American officer had been struck by a burst of fire from a hostile machine gun located on an adjacent hill. Rushing to the officer's assistance, he found that the officer had been killed. Picking up the officer's submachine gun, Staff Sergeant Kuroda advanced through continuous fire toward a second machine gun emplacement and destroyed the position. As he turned to fire upon additional enemy soldiers, he was killed by a sniper. Staff Sergeant Kuroda's courageous actions and indomitable fighting spirit ensured the destruction of enemy resistance in the sector. Staff Sergeant Kuroda's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II

References

*findagrave|7789744 Retrieved on 2008-01-21

*cite web
publisher = U.S. Army Center of Military History
title = Medal of Honor Recipients - World War II (G-L)
work = Medal of Honor Citations
date = July 16 2007
url = http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/wwII-g-l.html
accessdate = 2008-01-21

*cite web
last = Williams
first = Rudi
publisher = American Forces Press Service
title = 21 Asian American World War II Vets to Get Medal of Honor
date = May 19 2000
url = http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=45192
accessdate = 2007-10-03

Persondata
NAME= Kuroda, Robert T.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=