Yukio Okutsu

When three German machine guns brought his platoon to a halt on Mount Belvedere, Technical Sergeant Yukio Okutsu chose to advance alone. Crawling through intense enemy fire, he attacked one machine-gun position after another, ultimately capturing an entire enemy crew and allowing his platoon to resume its assault. His extraordinary courage on 7 April 1945 became the defining moment of a remarkable military career and earned him the United States Medal of Honor.

Born on 3 November 1921 in Koloa, Kauai, Hawaii, Yukio Okutsu entered the United States Army at Hanapepe, Hawaii, on 12 March 1943. He served with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the celebrated Japanese American Nisei formation that fought in the European Theater during World War II. As an infantryman, Okutsu experienced the demanding combat operations undertaken by the 442nd in France and Italy.

His Medal of Honor citation recounts the extraordinary events of 7 April 1945 near Massa, Italy. With his platoon pinned down by three German machine guns, Okutsu crawled to within 30 yards of the first emplacement and destroyed it with two hand grenades, killing three machine gunners. Moving from cover to cover, he silenced a second machine gun with another grenade, wounded two enemy soldiers and forced two others to surrender. As he advanced against the third position, rifle fire struck his helmet and briefly stunned him. Recovering, he charged nearby enemy riflemen with his submachine gun, drove them from their positions and captured the third machine gun together with its four-man crew. His single-handed actions enabled his platoon to continue its assault against a vital objective.

Okutsu had originally received the Distinguished Service Cross for his wartime heroism. Following a review of World War II decorations awarded to Asian American servicemen under the FY1996 National Defense Authorization Act, his award was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. President Bill Clinton presented the medal to him at the White House on 21 June 2000, recognizing a courageous performance that had remained insufficiently honoured for more than five decades.

His unit's distinguished record also included Presidential Unit Citations. The 2nd Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, was cited for its actions near Bruyeres, Biffontaine and Massa in France and Italy. A separate citation recognized Companies F and L for their assault near Belmont, France, on 21 October 1944. These unit honours formed part of the remarkable combat legacy of the regiment in which Okutsu served.

Technical Sergeant Yukio Okutsu died in Hilo, Hawaii, on 24 August 2003. His story remains an enduring example of individual courage, determination and selfless service. From the battlefields of Italy to the White House ceremony that finally recognized his extraordinary sacrifice, his legacy stands alongside the distinguished history of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Japanese American soldiers who served their country with exceptional bravery.