Intermission Stories (5)

Corporal Hiroshi Hersey Miyamura

Corporal Hiroshi “Hersey” Miyamura

Hersey Miyamura, a young Nisei Army Corporal distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy near Taejon-ni, Korea on 24-25 April 1951.

On the night of 24 April, Company H was occupying a defensive position when the enemy fanatically attacked, threatening to overrun the position.  Miyamura, a machine-gun squad leader, aware of the imminent danger to his men, unhesitatingly jumped from his shelter, wielding his bayonet in close hand-to-hand combat, killing approximately ten of the enemy.  Returning to his position, he administered first-aid to the wounded and directed their evacuation.

Area of combat, Taejon, in central South Korea__
click to enlarge

As another savage assault hit the line, he manned his machine-gun and delivered withering fire until his ammunition was expended.  He ordered the squad to withdraw while he stayed behind to render the gun inoperative.  He then bayoneted his way through infiltrated enemy soldiers to a second gun emplacement and assisted in its operation.  When the intensity of the attack necessitated the withdrawal of the company, Corporal Miyamura ordered his men to fall back while he remained to cover their movement.

He killed more than fifty of the enemy before his ammunition was depleted and he was severely wounded.  He maintained his magnificent stand despite his painful wounds, continuing to repel the attack until his position was overrun.  When he was last seen by his men, he was fighting ferociously against an overwhelming number of enemy soldiers.But, it was only the beginning of a long night.  Wounded, he struggled to safety, engaging in only brief encounters with the enemy.  By dawn, the exhausted corporal was playing dead in a ditch as hundreds of the enemy walked past his body, but one Chinese officer was not fooled and Hersey was taken prisoner.

Miyamura in Freedom Village

For 28 months he struggled to survive and for more than a year, his family did not know if he was dead or alive; the Chinese had not released his name as a POW.  Unaware that due to his own courage, many of his men had reached American lines, Miyamura believed they were all wounded or dead.

It was 23 August 1953 when he was escorted by his captors to the Freedom Village near Panmunjom.  Then, Hersey heard a strong voice inquire, “Are you Corporal Hiroshi H. Miyamura?”  He thought momentarily that the MPs were to take him into custody to await his court martial.  To his amazement, the general extended his hand with the announcement, “Congratulations.  You’ve been awarded the Medal of Honor.”

Medal of Honor

For the young Nisei corporal, this was unbelievable.  Just as the Chinese had kept to secret of his capture, the US Army had maintained the secret of his award.  He was later told that had the Chinese captors known of this honor, “You might not be here, alive, today.”  Two months later, 27 October 1953, Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower shook Miyamura’s hand and placed the medal around the neck of the Japanese-American boy from Gallup, New Mexico.

“Hersey” (center) w/ friends in Gallup, NM for the Hiroshi Miyamura High School dedication Oct. 2010

An update, courtesy of Partnering With Eagles, we have Mr. Miyamura’s obituary, he was 97-years old.

OBITUARY: Hershey Miyamura, 97; Medal of Honor Recipient for Korean War Heroism

Click on images to enlarge.

This information is courtesy of Home of the Heroes.com; http://www.nj.gov and 100th battalion.org

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Click on images to read a heartwarming WWII update and a very unique upgrade for our current military…

Courtesy of “The Week” news magazine

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A Farewell Salute video from fellow blogger Carl D’Agostino.wordpress.com/

Two Air Firce pilots, Major Howard V. Andre, Jr. and Major James E. Sizemore, MIA since the Vietnam War return home.

Watch HERE>

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Farewell Salutes – 

Lucille Camarota – McKees Rock, PA & D.C.; US Army Nurse Corps, Captain

Virgil Dunn – Rowlett, TX; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO

John Frankowski, Sr. – New Hyde Park, NY; US Army, Vietnam

Charles W. Menifee – Nakina, Ont.; RCAF, WWII, ETO

Harold Mouser – Wichita, KS; US Army, Lt.

Michael Scanlon – Gainsville, VA; USMC, Colonel (Ret.) 32 years

Maurice J. Walker – Christchurch, NZ; RNZAF # 425958, navigator F/Sgt., WWII

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