SENATE MEMORIAL 9

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2023

INTRODUCED BY

George K. Muñoz

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

HONORING MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT HIROSHI H. MIYAMURA FOR HIS PATRIOTISM AND A LIFE LIVED WITH HONOR.

 

     WHEREAS, Gallup native Hiroshi H. Miyamura, a hero remembered for his bravery, self-sacrifice, humility, love of God, love of family and love of country, died on November 29, 2022; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura was born on October 6, 1925 in Gallup, New Mexico, to Yaichi Miyamura and Tori Matsukawa; and

     WHEREAS, his parents, who were Japanese immigrants, owned and managed a twenty-four-hour diner; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura was nicknamed "Hershey" because one of his teachers could not pronounce his name correctly; and

     WHEREAS, when the United States entered World War II, Mr. Miyamura joined the United States army in January 1945; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura volunteered to be part of the all-Nisei one hundredth battalion as a member of the famed four-hundred-forty-second regimental combat team, otherwise known as the "purple heart battalion"; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura was discharged from the United States army shortly after Japan surrendered and later enlisted in the United States army reserve; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura was recalled to active duty with the start of the Korean conflict and arrived in Korea in December 1950; and

     WHEREAS, on April 24 and 25, 1951, while serving as a corporal, United States army, company H, second battalion, seventh infantry regiment, third infantry division, a night attack was carried out by the Chinese; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura, aware of the imminent danger, engaged in close hand-to-hand combat against the enemy, returned to his position and administered first aid to the wounded; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura saw that his squad could not hold out much longer and ordered his men to retreat while he stayed behind until his machine gun was rendered inoperative and he was severely wounded; and

     WHEREAS, despite his wounds, Mr. Miyamura killed fifty enemy soldiers as he continued to repel the attack until his position was overrun; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura was captured by the North Koreans on April 25, 1951, and he and other prisoners were forced to march three hundred miles over five weeks with very little food; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura was held prisoner for twenty-eight months, followed by his release on August 20, 1953; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura was awarded the medal of honor for distinguishing himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in courageous actions on April 24 and 25, 1951 against the enemy; and

     WHEREAS, however, his medal of honor designation was classified as top secret at the time it was awarded because he was still a prisoner of war, and there was a concern that the enemy would retaliate against Mr. Miyamura if it was known that his actions were being celebrated; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura was released in August 1953, and he returned to the United States, where the medal of honor was presented to him by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on October 27, 1953; and

     WHEREAS, during his military service, Mr. Miyamura also received the meritorious service medal and the purple heart; and

     WHEREAS, upon returning to Gallup after his discharge from the United States army, Mr. Miyamura married Tsuroko "Terry" Tsuchimori and established a career as an auto mechanic and service station owner; and

     WHEREAS, during his life, Mr. Miyamura traveled the country sharing his remarkable story of service and survival with countless military, veterans' and school groups; and

     WHEREAS, in September 2010, Miyamura high school in Gallup was officially dedicated in his honor; and

     WHEREAS, the Miyamura overpass at an interchange on interstate forty in Gallup is named in his honor; and

     WHEREAS, in 2014, in recognition of his activities involving youth in his community, Mr. Miyamura received the director's community leadership award from the Albuquerque division of the federal bureau of investigation; and

     WHEREAS, also in 2014, Mr. Miyamura was named grand marshal of the seventy-fifth annual Nisei week parade; and

     WHEREAS, in 2019, Mr. Miyamura served as the grand marshal in the one hundredth anniversary veterans day parade in New York City; and

     WHEREAS, in November 2022, just weeks before his passing, Mr. Miyamura was named to the national board of the state funerals for war veterans organization, whose mission is to "convince Congress to pass legislation to grant a state funeral for the last medal of honor recipients from the Korean and Vietnam wars, as a final salute to all the men and women who served"; and

     WHEREAS, at the time of his death at age ninety-seven, Mr. Miyamura was one of the last two surviving medal of honor recipients from the Korean conflict; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura was buried with full military honors in Gallup; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura was married to his wife, Terry, for sixty-six years, until her death in 2014; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Miyamura is survived by his sons, Mike Miyamura and Marianne and Pat Miyamura and Jill; his daughter, Kelly Hildahl and Clay; his granddaughters, Megan Miyamura, Marisa Regan and Joe and Madison Miyamura; his grandson, Ian Miyamura; his great-grandchildren, Marshall Miyamura, Thomas Regan, Emi Regan, Michael Regan and Lori Regan; and his sisters, Michiko Yoshida, Suzi Tashiro and Shige Sasaki;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that Hiroshi H. Miyamura, a great military hero, patriot, citizen and friend, be recognized and honored for his stellar life led by example; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the family of Hiroshi M. Miyamura.

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