Hiroshi Miyamura was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Korean War.
- Died: Tuesday, November 29, 2022. (Who else died on November 29?)
- Details of death: Died in Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 97.
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Korean War Hero
Hiroshi Miyamura was born in Gallup, New Mexico, to Japanese immigrants who operated a 24-hour diner. He was given the nickname “Hershey” when one of his teachers could not pronounce his name. He joined the U.S. Army towards the end of World War II and was called into action during the Korean War. On April 24, 1951, his company was under attack by Chinese forces when Miyamura ordered his squad to retreat while he fought off their attack. His heroism allowed his squad to escape but he and fellow squad leader Joseph Annello were captured. Chinese soldiers ordered Miyamura at gunpoint to leave behind an injured Annello, he refused until Annello convinced him. Annello would later escape from a Chinese POW camp. Miyamura spent over two years as a prisoner of war. He was secretly awarded the Medal of Honor while in prison and it was given to him by President Eisenhower after his release. He and Annello, who died in 2018, were lifelong friends. Miyamura was an auto mechanic, married and had a family. He gave annual talks to Military members in Gallup.
Notable Quote
“There are so many Americans who don’t know what the Medal represents or what any soldier or servicewoman or man does for his country. And I believe one of these days — I hope one of these days — they will learn of the sacrifices that a lot of the men and women have made for this country,” – Living History documentary in the Congressional Medal of Honor Society library
Tributes to Hiroshi Miyamura
Full Obituary: Seattle Times
