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By Patrick Downes | Hawaii Catholic Herald
George Kahoohanohano, nephew of Anthony Kahoohanohano, and President Barack Obama listen to Medal of Honor citation being read.
President Barack Obama gave the Medal of Honor on May 2 to Anthony T. Kahoohanohano, the St. Anthony Junior-Senior High School, Wailuku, graduate who died in 1951 defending his comrades during a fierce battle in the Korean War.
The president made the presentation to Kahoohanohano's family at a White House ceremony attended by Michelle Obama, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Secretary of Veteran Affairs General Eric Shinseki, members of Hawaii's congressional delegation and others. Nearly 30 members of Kahoohanohano's family were present, including his sister Elaine and brother Eugene.
Kahoohanohano graduated from St. Anthony in 1949. The school is proud to list him among its alumni, said development director Kathleen DeLima.
In November of 2009, the month after the president signed the authorization for the honor, St. Anthony School presented the Kahoohanohano family a Medal of Honor certificate during its Veteran's Day assembly.
Last year, the school sponsored a golf tournament in his memory to raise funds for the school's tuition assistance program. "It was a great success," DeLima said.
The principal Patricia Rickard again recognized Kahoohano- hano at the school assembly on May 2.
DeLima said that the school has "approximately 15 Kahoohanohanos" in its alumni database.
The family had lobbied 60 years, assisted by Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka, for Kahoohano- hano to receive the military's highest decoration. After his death, the soldier had been given the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army's second highest award for valor, but his family felt he deserved more. Most recently, the effort to persuade the Army to present the Medal of Honor was led by Anthony's nephew, George Kahoohanohano.
At the award ceremony, which took place the day after the raid in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden, the president included a few local touches in his talk, greeting his Hawaii guests with "aloha."
According to the text of his speech provided by the White House press office, President Obama described private first class Kahoohanohano as someone who "learned early that we have a duty to others - from his father, a dedicated police officer, and his mother, who devoted herself to their nine children."
"Tony was a tall guy. He loved Hawaii, swimming in the ocean, playing basketball," Obama said.
"Sounds like my kind of guy," he added, to laughter from the audience.
Later, the Island-born president added the perfunctory local high school connection. "Now, Hawaii is a small state, but the Kahoohanohanos are a very big family. In fact, I went to high school with one of their cousins, Whitey," he said. "Tell Whitey I said, 'Howzit.'"
Obama praised the Kahoohanohanos. "This is a remarkable family. Service defines them. Tony's father and all six sons served in the military. Another member of the family has served in Afghanistan."
"For the sacrifice that your family endured, for the service that your family has rendered - thank you so much," he said, "Mahalo nui loa."
Kahoohanohano was a member of the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. On Sept. 1, 1951, his squad came under a ferocious attack by an overwhelming number of enemy soldiers. He ordered his men to fall back and seek safety while he stayed ahead to supply cover, alone.
Though wounded, he fought on until his ammunition was gone. He resorted to hand-to-hand combat until he was finally killed. His heroic effort not only saved the lives of his men, it inspired them to launch a counter-attack that turned back the enemy.
At the same ceremony, President Obama also awarded the Medal of Honor to Army private first class Henry Svehla of New Jersey who sacrificed his life for his fellow soldiers during combat in the Korean War in 1952.
Hawaii Catholic Herald: Maui's St. Anthony School proud of Medal of Honor graduate
Mon, May 16, 2011
By Patrick Downes | Hawaii Catholic Herald
George Kahoohanohano, nephew of Anthony Kahoohanohano, and President Barack Obama listen to Medal of Honor citation being read.
The president made the presentation to Kahoohanohano's family at a White House ceremony attended by Michelle Obama, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Secretary of Veteran Affairs General Eric Shinseki, members of Hawaii's congressional delegation and others. Nearly 30 members of Kahoohanohano's family were present, including his sister Elaine and brother Eugene.
Kahoohanohano graduated from St. Anthony in 1949. The school is proud to list him among its alumni, said development director Kathleen DeLima.
In November of 2009, the month after the president signed the authorization for the honor, St. Anthony School presented the Kahoohanohano family a Medal of Honor certificate during its Veteran's Day assembly.
Last year, the school sponsored a golf tournament in his memory to raise funds for the school's tuition assistance program. "It was a great success," DeLima said.
The principal Patricia Rickard again recognized Kahoohano- hano at the school assembly on May 2.
DeLima said that the school has "approximately 15 Kahoohanohanos" in its alumni database.
The family had lobbied 60 years, assisted by Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka, for Kahoohano- hano to receive the military's highest decoration. After his death, the soldier had been given the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army's second highest award for valor, but his family felt he deserved more. Most recently, the effort to persuade the Army to present the Medal of Honor was led by Anthony's nephew, George Kahoohanohano.
At the award ceremony, which took place the day after the raid in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden, the president included a few local touches in his talk, greeting his Hawaii guests with "aloha."
According to the text of his speech provided by the White House press office, President Obama described private first class Kahoohanohano as someone who "learned early that we have a duty to others - from his father, a dedicated police officer, and his mother, who devoted herself to their nine children."
"Tony was a tall guy. He loved Hawaii, swimming in the ocean, playing basketball," Obama said.
"Sounds like my kind of guy," he added, to laughter from the audience.
Later, the Island-born president added the perfunctory local high school connection. "Now, Hawaii is a small state, but the Kahoohanohanos are a very big family. In fact, I went to high school with one of their cousins, Whitey," he said. "Tell Whitey I said, 'Howzit.'"
Obama praised the Kahoohanohanos. "This is a remarkable family. Service defines them. Tony's father and all six sons served in the military. Another member of the family has served in Afghanistan."
"For the sacrifice that your family endured, for the service that your family has rendered - thank you so much," he said, "Mahalo nui loa."
Kahoohanohano was a member of the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. On Sept. 1, 1951, his squad came under a ferocious attack by an overwhelming number of enemy soldiers. He ordered his men to fall back and seek safety while he stayed ahead to supply cover, alone.
Though wounded, he fought on until his ammunition was gone. He resorted to hand-to-hand combat until he was finally killed. His heroic effort not only saved the lives of his men, it inspired them to launch a counter-attack that turned back the enemy.
At the same ceremony, President Obama also awarded the Medal of Honor to Army private first class Henry Svehla of New Jersey who sacrificed his life for his fellow soldiers during combat in the Korean War in 1952.
Hawaii Catholic Herald reader Larry Chun assisted with the reporting of this story.
ORIGINAL STORY: http://www.hawaiicatholicherald.org/Home/tabid/256/newsid884/3643/Default.aspx
