He was a decorated hero in one of the most highly decorated and famous units in the Armythe Nisel 100th Infantry Battalion of the 442 Regimental Combat Team. Serving in North Africa and Italy as a combat infantryman. he was awarded the Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster for wounds suffered as well as the Bronze Star for bravery. SPARKY was presented a total of live battle starsfour to go with his EuropeanAfricanMiddle Eastern Campaign Medal. and one with his AsiaticPacific Campaign Medal. While he was instrumental in gaining passage of a number of important pieces of legislation in over a quarter of a century as a Member of Congress. he is best remembered. perhaps. for his outstanding efforts in behalf of gaining approval of a law redressing the injustices felt by West Coast JapaneseAmedcans who were interned in camps during World War II. Senator SPARK MATSUNAGA will be missed by those of us who served with him and knew him here in Congress as well as by a nation grateful for his magnificent contributions to his country.
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AsiaticPacific