Senator Daniel Inouye, most senior Senator passes away

[ace99]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/daniel-inouye-dead-dies_n_2316242.html

Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), the Senate's most senior member, died Monday at the age of 88, according to reports from the Washington Post and the Associated Press.

Inouye's spokesman Peter Boylan said earlier Monday that Inouye had been hospitalized since early December "fighting respiratory complications."

His last word was "Aloha," according to a statement released by his office.

Inouye was the longest current serving senator at the time of his death and the second longest in Senate history. He was elected to office in 1962.

More from Inouye's staff:

United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye, World War II veteran, Medal of Honor recipient and Hawaii's senior Senator, passed away from respiratory complications at 5:01 p.m. Eastern Standard Time today at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

His wife Irene and his son Ken were at his side. Last rites were performed by Senate Chaplain Dr. Barry Black.

He is survived by his wife, Irene Hirano Inouye, his son Daniel Ken Inouye Jr., Ken's wife Jessica, and granddaughter Maggie and step-daughter Jennifer Hirano. He was preceded in death his first wife, Maggie Awamura.

Senator Inouye's family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for the extraordinary care he received.

The story of Dan Inouye is the story of modern Hawaii. During his eight decades of public service, Dan Inouye helped build and shape Hawaii.

Senator Inouye began his career in public service at the age of 17 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army shortly after Imperial Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He served with 'E' company of the 442 Regimental Combat Team, a group consisting entirely of Americans of Japanese ancestry. Senator Inouye lost his arm charging a series of machine gun nests on a hill in San Terenzo, Italy on April 21, 1945. His actions during that battle earned him the Medal of Honor.

Following the war he returned to Hawaii and married Margaret "Maggie" Awamura, and graduated from the University of Hawaii and the George Washington University School of Law.

After receiving his law degree, Dan Inouye, returned to Hawaii and worked as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu. He recognized the social and racial inequities of post-war Hawaii, and in 1954 was part of a Democratic revolution that took control of the Territorial Legislature.

Following statehood in 1959, Dan Inouye was privileged to serve as Hawaii's first Congressman. He ran for the Senate in 1962 where he served for nearly nine consecutive terms.

Dan Inouye spent his career building an enduring federal presence in Hawaii to ensure that the state would receive its fair share of federal resources. He worked to expand the military's presence on all major islands, stabilizing Pearl Harbor, building up the Pacific Missile Range and constructing a headquarters for the United States Pacific Command.

He has worked to build critical roads, expanded bus services statewide and secured the federal funds for the Honolulu Rail Transit project. He championed the indigenous rights of Native Hawaiians and the return of Kahoolawe.

He fought for the rights and benefits for veterans. Senator Inouye has left an indelible mark at the University of Hawaii, including support for major facilities and research assets. He has long supported local agriculture and alternative energy initiatives.

Dan Inouye was always among the first to speak out against injustice whether interned Japanese Americans, Filipino World War II veterans, Native Americans and Native Hawaiians.

A prominent player on the national stage, Senator Inouye served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Commerce Committee and was the first Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

After developing a reputation as a bipartisan workhorse, who always would put country above party, he was asked by the Senate leadership to chair the special committee investigating the Iran Contra Affair. This was after a successful tenure as a member of the Watergate Committee.

When asked in recent days how he wanted to be remembered, Dan said, very simply, "I represented the people of Hawaii and this nation honestly and to the best of my ability. I think I did OK."

His last words were, "Aloha."

 

[Skwink]

He was in office way too long.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Sad to see an incredible man go.

 

[Cutlass]

R.I.P.

 

[bhsup]

He was in office way too long.

Why? Did you simply disagree with him? That's really not reason enough to say he was in office too long. Is there evidence of corruption from him? Did he cease to represent his people effectively because of time in office?

He was a dedicated public servant, and whether nor not I agreed with him, he served his State faithfully.

 

[Skwink]

Why? Did you simply disagree with him? That's really not reason enough to say he was in office too long. Is there evidence of corruption from him? Did he cease to represent his people effectively because of time in office?

He was a dedicated public servant, and whether nor not I agreed with him, he served his State faithfully.

Nothing against him, I just don't think any one person should be in office for that long.

 

[GhostWriter16]

Why? Did you simply disagree with him? That's really not reason enough to say he was in office too long. Is there evidence of corruption from him? Did he cease to represent his people effectively because of time in office?

He was a dedicated public servant, and whether nor not I agreed with him, he served his State faithfully.

I'd generally prefer if people didn't stay in politics too long. Politics should be in order to serve America, not as a career.

In some cases, of course, people need to stick around because if they don't fight for freedom, nobody else will. I doubt that was this guys reasoning

 

[Cutlass]

I'd generally prefer if people didn't stay in politics too long. Politics should be in order to serve America, not as a career.

In some cases, of course, people need to stick around because if they don't fight for freedom, nobody else will. I doubt that was this guys reasoning

Yes, it was. He was one of the best. This is a man who gave his whole adult life to serving others.

Now shut your scumbag little mouth and show some respect.

Moderator Action: Speaking of respect . . .
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[JollyRoger]

If the shrimp farmer lobby wants their best whore to keep doing their dirty work for them, I see nothing wrong with them continuing to pimp him out.

 

[GhostWriter16]

Absolutely, RIP.

I absolutely resect him for his service in WWII even though I don't know much about his political career.

There are just very, very few people I consider to be justified in having an entire career in politics. Ideally none, but with the world the way it is...

That's not really his fault though.

RIP.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

I'd generally prefer if people didn't stay in politics too long. Politics should be in order to serve America, not as a career.

In some cases, of course, people need to stick around because if they don't fight for freedom, nobody else will. I doubt that was this guys reasoning

Mr. Inouye was not only a Medal of Honor recipient (read his bio, it's an omgwtfawesome story how he got the medal), but a person of upstanding moral character. There's a reason he won re-election by huge margins every time. He was one of the few who consistently defended and enforced standards of integrity in the Senate, all the more impressive because of his lengthy tenure. He served on the boards that investigated Watergate and the Iran-Contra Affair.

You may have an issue with lengthy tenures in office, but as a reaction to an announcement of the man's death, it's in extremely bad taste. Bring it up some other time.

 

[Skwink]

You may have an issue with lengthy tenures in office, but as a reaction to an announcement of the man's death, it's in extremely bad taste. Bring it up some other time.

Seriously, GW, the nerve of you to bring up politics in an internet topic about a politicians death.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Seriously, GW, the nerve of you to bring up politics in an internet topic about a politicians death.

O tempora, o mores! I guess this generation doesn't understand what respect and discretion are. There's a time and a place for everything, son. You can wait to toot your own horn until a time when we can more properly ignore you.

 

[Skwink]

O tempora, o mores! I guess this generation doesn't understand what respect and discretion are. There's a time and a place for everything, son. You can wait to toot your own horn until a time when we can more properly ignore you.

It's an internet forum for politics. I'm gonna talk about politics in a thread about a politician.

 

[Glassfan]

It saddens me to see a man of Daniel Inouye's calibre treated in such a cavalier manner.

 

[Tee Kay]

It's an internet forum for politics. I'm gonna talk about politics in a thread about a politician.

Technically, it's the off-topic section of a gaming forum.

 

[GhostWriter16]

Mr. Inouye was not only a Medal of Honor recipient (read his bio, it's an omgwtfawesome story how he got the medal), but a person of upstanding moral character. There's a reason he won re-election by huge margins every time. He was one of the few who consistently defended and enforced standards of integrity in the Senate, all the more impressive because of his lengthy tenure. He served on the boards that investigated Watergate and the Iran-Contra Affair.

I'll have to look him up now because he seems like a good man, even if I'd probably have disagreed with him sometimes.

You may have an issue with lengthy tenures in office, but as a reaction to an announcement of the man's death, it's in extremely bad taste. Bring it up some other time.

@Skwink- Cheezy is right, and so I will apologize. In my defense, I wasn't the first, you were.

But this isn't the thread for it. Absolute agreement, and I apologize for the lack of sensetivity.

 

[useless]

You're out of your element, Dommy.

 

[AlpsStranger]

Wow, he's got some nads for sure.

On April 21, 1945, Inouye was grievously wounded while leading an assault on a heavily-defended ridge near San Terenzo in Tuscany, Italy called Colle Musatello. The ridge served as a strongpoint along the strip of German fortifications known as the Gothic Line, which represented the last and most unyielding line of German defensive works in Italy. As he led his platoon in a flanking maneuver, three German machine guns opened fire from covered positions just 40 yards away, pinning his men to the ground. Inouye stood up to attack and was shot in the stomach; ignoring his wound, he proceeded to attack and destroy the first machine gun nest with hand grenades and fire from his Thompson submachine gun. After being informed of the severity of his wound by his platoon sergeant, he refused treatment and rallied his men for an attack on the second machine gun position, which he also successfully destroyed before collapsing from blood loss.

Tough guy in the truest sense. Courage like this is probably the only humane aspect of war.

That sort of bravery is like a giant middle finger to all the suffering in the world. It's being unwilling to bend to the horror of the situation. How many of us can hope to stare down that kind of terror and make it blink?

 

[GhostWriter16]

You're out of your element, Dommy.

Now I know you're a spambot.

Seriously, disagree with whatever I say that you want, but seriously, I apologize for being insensetive and you insult me again?

Just stop.