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Okubo, James K.

Date of birth:
May 30th, 1920 (Bellingham/Washington, United States)
Date of death:
January 29th, 1967 (Detroit/Michigan, United States)
Nationality:
American (1776 - present, Republic)

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Technician 5th Grade (T-5)
Unit:
Company K, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division "Arrowhead", U.S. Army
Awarded on:
1944

Upgraded to MOH
Silver Star Medal (SSM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Technician 5th Grade (T-5)
Unit:
Company K, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division "Arrowhead", U.S. Army
Awarded on:
June 20th, 2000
"Technician Fifth Grade James K. Okubo distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 28 and 29 October and 4 November 1944, in the Forêt Domaniale de Champ, near Biffontaine, eastern France. On 28 October, under strong enemy fire coming from behind mine fields and roadblocks, Technician Fifth Grade Okubo, a medic, crawled 150 yards to within 40 yards of the enemy lines. Two grenades were thrown at him while he left his last covered position to carry back wounded comrades. Under constant barrages of enemy small arms and machine gun fire, he treated 17 men on 28 October and 8 more men on 29 October. On 4 November, Technician Fifth Grade Okubo ran 75 yards under grazing machine gun fire and, while exposed to hostile fire directed at him, evacuated and treated a seriously wounded crewman from a burning tank, who otherwise would have died. Technician Fifth Grade James K. Okubo’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."

Awarded posthumously.
Medal of Honor - Army (MoH)

Sources

  • - Jordan, Kenneth N., Yesterday’s Heroes – 433 men of World War II awarded the Medal of Honor 1941-1945, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., USA, 1996
    - Asahina, R., Just Americans – How Japanese Won a War at Home and Abroad – The Story of the 100th Battalion/442d Regimental Combat Team in World War II, Gotham Books, New York, USA, 2006
    - CRS Report for Congress, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1977 – 2007, November 13, 2007, Congressional Research Service

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