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Nakae Masato "Curley"

Name:
Masato "Curley" Nakae
Rank:
Private
Serial Number:
Unit:
100th Infantry Battalion, 442 Infantry Regiment
Date of Death:
1998-09-04
State:
Hawaii
Cemetery:
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii
Plot:
Section U, Grave 1446
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Medal of Honor
Comments:

Masato Nakae was born on December 20, 1917 and was from Hawaii. He served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Combat Regimental Team (RCT). On August 19, 1944 he was awarded the Medal OF Honor for his heroism. CITATION: Private Masato Nakae distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 19 August 1944, near Pisa, Italy. When his submachine gun was damaged by a shell fragment during a fierce attack by a superior enemy force, Private Nakae quickly picked up his wounded comrade's M-1 rifle and fired rifle grenades at the steadily advancing enemy. As the hostile force continued to close in on his position, Private Nakae threw six grenades and forced them to withdraw. During a concentrated enemy mortar barrage that preceded the next assault by the enemy force, a mortar shell fragment seriously wounded Private Nakae. Despite his injury, he refused to surrender his position and continued firing at the advancing enemy. By inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy force, he finally succeeded in breaking up the attack and caused the enemy to withdraw. Private Nakae'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.