Richard Okinaka

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Richard Okinaka (30104648), Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 36th Infantry Division, on 29 October 1944, in France. While preparing for a flanking movement upon an enemy position which had stopped his company’s advance, Sergeant Okinaka, not wishing to expose his entire platoon to enemy fire, crawled up the enemy-occupied hill alone to reconnoiter the area. While making his reconnaissance he attracted the attention of numerous enemy snipers, but with deadly accurate fire from his sub- machine gun killed or wounded four of their number. Shortly after this action, Sergeant Okinaka, though wounded in the ankle by a grenade fragment, crawled back to his platoon and led his men in a flanking movement which led to the capture of the hill.