Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye has passed away at age 88

[warrior1]

Source: Washington Post

Hawaii Democratic Sen. Daniel Inouye has died at age 88, his office confirmed Monday night.

His last words, according to a statement released by his staff, were “Aloha”.

Inouye has been hospitalized since early December due to respiratory problems. His cause of death was “respiratory complications”.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/12/17/hawaii-sen-daniel-inouye-dies-at-age-88/

[Renew Deal]

1. RIP

[SkyDaddy7]

29. American HERO!!

I wonder how many Tea Baggers would put their life on the line & go to war for a country that saw them as suspect at best & loyal to the enemy at worst?

Like I said, American HERO!!

He will be missed!

[aquart]

2. Aloha, Daniel.

[Tx4obama]

3. OMG!!!

Just the other day when he was admitted to the hospital he said that he was okay and there was nothing to worry about!

I am shocked that he has passed away.

This is very sad

R.I.P. Senator.


Edited to add:

Daniel Inouye served in The Senate: 49 years, 349 days
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_United_States_Senators_by_seniority#Current_seniority_list

[pinto]

4. Good guy, good Senator.

Aloha.

[Panasonic]

10. Well, not exactly a good guy.

In my eye, dealing with Frank Murkowski was one of the biggest mistakes that Inouye made, sacrificing for oil (Murkowski attempted to open ANWR to drilling way back when, and read an curious article that he traded pork with Inouye.)

But other than that, I know he was a good Democrat, albeit a few mistakes in his life.

[Blue_In_AK]

20. Frank, you mean.

Senator Inouye and Ted Stevens were life-long friends. Our two states kind of hung together. I'm sure the Alaska senators did something for senator Inouye in return.

[Panasonic]

25. Thanks.

I stand corrected.. (fixed)

[dkf]

46. Our native rights issues were similar.

As is being separate from the 48 contiguous states.

[Drunken Irishman]

58. I don't think that doesn't make him 'not a good guy...'

Yeesh. The man served his country, which decided, at the time, to send his people to internment camps, got his arm blown off - and still managed to come back loving America more than most anyone. 'Not exactly a good guy'? Yikes.

[ashling]

74. not exactly a good guy?

"a few mistakes" makes him "not exactly a good guy"

Then there is no one on this board or this planet who is a good guy.

[Cal33]

116. You're looking for 100%. You'll never find it. Perfection is not of this world.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

108. He was one of 'the Immortal 23' who opposed the Iraq war

Here's the late Senator Robert C. Byrd of my home state, along with Iraq war vet Tomas Young, taking a moment to honor the 22 Democrats and 1 Republican who bravely and righteously stood up to George W. Bush and his cheerleading media's drive to war in 2003:

Clip from Phil Donahue's film, "Body of War"

Byrd was so proud of his fellow senators, that he kept the names of 23 framed on his office wall.

Thank you, Senator Inouye for standing with Byrd, Kennedy, Wellstone and all the others who tried to steer this nation away from one of the biggest foreign policy disasters in its history.

We should work hard to see to it that future generations know that you were right, and that our country never repeats such a tragic blunder.

[pinto]

117. Yep.

[Great Caesars Ghost]

5. Is his spot safe?

[ellisonz]

24. Very safe.

[alp227]

30. Self edited...realized Inouye's term is up in '14.

January isn't here yet three senate seats already changed!

DeMint of SC leaves for the heritage foundation, Inouye of HI dies in office, and Kerry of MA may be the next secretary of state!

I forgot the current governor of HI is democrat, so yeah his seat is safe.

[KamaAina]

35. That was Akaka's seat

Now Lingle gets another shot at the punch bowl, like Scott Brown.

[alp227]

41. I edited my post, and lingle isn't governor anymore.

[KamaAina]

45. But she just ran for Senate and got beat

just like Scott Brown. And that was supposed to be that. And now both could get new life. Sort of a political "The Walking Dead".

[dkf]

42. I highly doubt it.

Hawaii is more Democratic than ever. Hirono's win was almost effortless.

[KamaAina]

48. True, but who's the opponent?

An intriguing possibility: Gov. Abercrombie appoints his kick-ass self to the seat. That pretty much heads off any competition, plus gives thirtysomething hotshot Brian Schatz a shot as gov.

[dkf]

56. I'm thinking Shinseki?

[Tx4obama]

98. Senator Inouye asked Gov Abercrombie to appoint Hanabusa to Senate after his death

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251264171

[KamaAina]

100. Thereby putting another Congressional seat up for grabs

on the bright side, both Senators would be women, like in CA.

[Tx4obama]

102. Also, beside both being female...

they both have Japanese ancestry - and both are Buddhists.

Hirono: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazie_Hirono

Hababusa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colleen_Hanabusa

And even similar haircuts!

If the Governor does end up appointing Hanabusa it's going to take me some time to memorize which one is which


Edited to add...
Years ago I used to always mix up Senator Boxer and Senator Feinstein.

[UndahCovah]

82. I voted for Warren and am glad Warren won

But Brown actually wasn't terrible. I met him once, seems like a decent enough guy...For a republican at least.

[SunSeeker]

95. What impressed you about him?

His pink leather hotpants? The fact that Scalia is his favorite justice?

Most important of all, will you vote for him when he runs for Kerry's seat?

[UndahCovah]

96. No, I won't vote for him if he runs

He seems like a nice guy, and more progressive than many republicans. But why vote for a progressive-ish republican when you can just vote for a democrat?

However, a lot of people will probably vote for him -- his approval ratings, even though he lost, were fairly high.

[Panasonic]

6. Aloha, Inouye

Ed Case up for the job?

Who is the presumed successor for Inouye, pending a special election in 2014?

[KamaAina]

37. We could do a lot better than Ed Case

He's a DINO.

[Panasonic]

38. Agreed

I don't know who's a favored successor. I would also imagine that Akaka is getting up to his years (he is also 88 years old)

So a changing of guards may be needed.

[KamaAina]

50. Akaka just retired

Mazie Hirono beat ex-Gov. Lingle like a rented mule. She will assume the seat next month.

[Panasonic]

59. Ah. Didn't realize that, and it's good Lingle's out of the way.

And I remember reading about her. First Buddhist Senator, correct?

[KamaAina]

69. I believe so.

Believe it or not, Hawai'i has had only five senators since statehood: all were/are Christian. I know of no Buddhist senators from "the Continent".

[Ken Burch]

75. I was gonna say Abercrombie, but he's governor

It would look weird if he appointed himself.

[KamaAina]

90. It's happened

most recently with Joe Manchin (DINO-WV).

[NNguyenMD]

55. I heard Eric Shinseki's name thrown in there back in 2004

as an eventual successor to either Inouye or Akaka after he endorsed Kerry.

[annabanana]

7. RIP

aloha

[BumRushDaShow]

8. R.I.P.

And thank you for your service sir.

[okwmember]

9. Aloha

A real hero.

[Twinguard]

11. aloha

[Surya Gayatri]

12. Smooth sailing and safe harbor, good sir.

[jsr]

13. A Great American. Medal of Honor. R.I.P.

[d_b]

14. RIP

Aloha, Senator

[bigworld]

15. Aloha and Mahalo. <nt>

[DreamGypsy]

16. Mahalo nui loa

E pili mau na pomaika`i ia `oe

(May blessings ever be with you)

[William769]

17. R.I.P.

And thank you for your service.

[KansDem]

18. I'll never forget his questioning of Oliver North during the Iran-Contra fiasco

North showed up wearing his Marine uniform, something he never did while working in the White House. But the "image" was forged: Non-white man questioning a US Marine. I remember listening to the radio one morning during a local call-in show when one caller was upset that a US Marine should be questioned by "that Jap."

And Sen. Inouye warned us of the "Shadow Government:"

25 years later and the "Shadow Government" is still operating.

[jsr]

19. Oliver North didn't deserve to shine his shoes.

[dsc]

28. Possibly royko's best column was about this exchange

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2506&dat=19870711&id=1WZJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ogoNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3926,3117456

can't quote so you'll have to go look but trust me it is worth it.

[Bibliovore]

36. Great column -- I had forgotten that one

Thanks for posting it.

[49jim]

21. I heard him speak....

He was the keynote speaker at my son's college graduation (Rochester Institute of Technology) RIT in Rochester NY in 2005.

[LiberalLoner]

49. I did too he spoke at the interment of COL Akin

At Arlington. They served together during the war and the Senator was noble and came to eulogize COL Akin. COL Akin was my father's commander when my father was a LT which is my connection to the whole thing. I shook the Senator's left hand.

What a great man. May heaven have a high enough place of honor befitting him.

[ellisonz]

22. R.I.P. Senator Daniel Inouye - Son of Hawai'i - American Patriot

[fightthegoodfightnow]

23. Very Sad

.

[msanthrope]

26. Rest, Patriot. Your Medal Of Honor shines brightly today. nt

[Bossy Monkey]

27. Aloha and RIP. n/t

[Red Mountain]

31. Wow.......I never knew

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Inouye

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 dogged 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.

As his squad distracted the third machine gunner, Inouye crawled toward the final bunker, eventually drawing within 10 yards. As he raised himself up and cocked his arm to throw his last grenade into the fighting position, a German inside fired a rifle grenade that struck him on the right elbow, severing most of his arm and leaving his own primed grenade reflexively "clenched in a fist that suddenly didn't belong to me anymore".[11] Inouye's horrified soldiers moved to his aid, but he shouted for them to keep back out of fear his severed fist would involuntarily relax and drop the grenade. As the German inside the bunker reloaded his rifle, Inouye pried the live grenade from his useless right hand and transferred it to his left. As the German aimed his rifle to finish him off, Inouye tossed the grenade off-hand into the bunker and destroyed it. He stumbled to his feet and continued forward, silencing the last German resistance with a one-handed burst from his Thompson before being wounded in the leg and tumbling unconscious to the bottom of the ridge. When he awoke to see the concerned men of his platoon hovering over him, his only comment before being carried away was to gruffly order them to return to their positions, since, as he pointed out, "nobody called off the war!"[12]

[snort]

109. Holy shit!

Thanks for posting that. He was one tough sob.

[Posteritatis]

120. The sequence of events there is worth noting

He was shot in the stomach, had an arm blown off by a direct hit by a rifle grenade, cleared a bunker, and captured an enemy position beyond it in that order.

[shenmue]

121. Amazing

Just outstanding.

[craigmatic]

32. That generation of demiocratic senators is fading away slowly. Teddy, Byrd, Inouye it's sad.

[alp227]

64. McGovern too? he also served in WW2, died last month or so

[craigmatic]

107. True

[dsc]

33. This has the potential to lead to multiple committee changes

He chaired Appropriations which is the plum assignment. If Leahy takes Appropriations then he has to give up Judiciary. That would give Judiciary to Feinstein and she would have to give up whatever chair she has.

[SwankyXomb]

47. Select Committee on Intelligence. n/t

[dsc]

61. Rockefeller could get that one

[slackmaster]

34. RIP Senator.

I remember watching him light matches with one hand during the Watergate hearings.

[dkf]

39. Such a huge loss for Hawaii.

I was talking to my co-workers and even the staunchest Republicans are a bit shaken.

We always counted on him to do his best for Hawaii and he did an amazing job. We always dreaded this day.

RIP Senator Inouye. You did good.

[Mr.Turnip]

40. RIP.

[regnaD kciN]

43. The only Senator I ever met while he was holding office...

It was when we visited the Capitol in Sprung of 1973, just before his role in the Watergate hearings (for which Nixon's lawyer labeled him "the little Jap" ).

R.I.P., indeed!

[DFW]

44. He was already serving in the Senate when I worked there as a page.

That was 45 years ago! I was told how to pronounce his name correctly, as it was different from the other names I was familiar with. As a page for the Democrats, I had to know all the Democratic Senators by name and face. He was already somewhat of a legend due to his war record.

Aloha, mahalo!

[SoapBox]

51. RIP.

[NNguyenMD]

52. RIP Sen.Inouye

[Greybnk48]

53. Aloha to one of my very favorites

and one of the Senators beloved by so many. He will be missed.

[sasha031]

54. Aloha Dear Senator you will be so missed

? RIP

[Wolf Frankula]

57. I remember the Iran Contra Hearings

There sat Oliver (Felon) North in his uniform with his ribbons. And there was Congressional Medal of Honor Winner Daniel Inouye, plonkingly and calmly telling him off. And Ollie sat there and took it.

And the Watergate Investigation almost forty years ago. Inouye was one of the lights.

Aloha Senator! You will be missed.

Wolf

[adieu]

76. His MoH

Was awarded after those hearings. Inouye got his MoH when Clinton was in office.

[Wolf Frankula]

101. Thank's for the Correction

I was in error. I should have consulted more records.

Wolf

[liberal N proud]

60. Aloha - RIP

You served well sir!

[meow2u3]

62. RIP, Sen. Inouye, and Aloha

[BigDemVoter]

63. I'm not surprised. . . . He was old. . . .

Thank god he went peacefully. Too bad there are not more like him, as we need them!

[Third Doctor]

65. Rip

[GoCubsGo]

66. :-( He was always one of my favorites.

Aloha and mahalo, Senator.

[fascisthunter]

67. rest in peace

not much else one can say.... I hope your life was a good one, and that you gave more than you took.

[Bucky]

68. I've always used his account of capturing an Italian soldier in my US history class

He was an excellent writer, and it's one of the essays the kids always seemed to "get". He was a genuine war hero and a lifelong champion of peace.

RIP, Senator.

[dynasaw]

70. I would like to See His wife Irene Hirano Fill His Space

She has a 35 year resume of outstanding involvement in democratic politics, a a powerful advocate of women's rights and cultural preservation

[mimi85]

97. Good idea!

I didn't know that about her. Sen Inouye, Aloha to you as well....

[Tx4obama]

99. See comment #98. n/t

[dynasaw]

113. #98 seems to have disappeared

[Tx4obama]

119. It is still there. Here's a link below to comment #98

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014340510#post98

[whistler162]

71. "Go For Broke" and Aloha Senator

[adieu]

78. Good movie

That starred some of the men who were actually there.

[rppper]

72. Fair winds and following seas senator!

You will be missed sir.....

[AverageJoe90]

73. R.I.P. Sen. Inouye.

You'll be missed, Dan. Especially by Hawaiians like our President.

[Lasher]

77. President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate

Succeeded today by Senator Patrick Leahy.

Third in the line of presidential succession, following the Vice President and the Speaker.

[Hekate]

79. Auwe! I am so sad to hear this!

The great generation of the 442nd is passing from us. They went to war; they returned and changed the Islands forever.

Senator Inouye spoke at my high school graduation in 1965. When I was old enough to vote, you bet I voted for him.

Mahalo nui loa for all your service to Hawai'i and the US. Rest in well-earned peace, sir. Aloha on your last journey.

Hekate

[gademocrat7]

80. Aloha, Senator Inouye

Thank you for your service, sir.

[struggle4progress]

81. I was hopin he'd make it thru to the start of 113th Congress in January

for a full 50 years in the Senate

He'll be missed

[Odin2005]

83. Oh no!

[tabasco]

84. I remember him as a BIG HERO during the criminal Nixon administration

and the exposure of the Watergate traitors.

[Jennicut]

85. RIP, Sen. Inouye.

He seemed determined to keep going on, his mind was sharp. It is sad when our bodies fail us. My husband's grandfather was a lot like that, he died a few years ago at 95 but was totally "together". I will miss this great Senator.

[KT2000]

86. Oh dear,

he was a good man - something that is becoming more rare.
Aloha sir.

[Chorophyll]

87. Aloha, Senator.

[underpants]

88. WWII veteran

RIP and thanks

[dsharp88]

89. A great one. n/t

[lbrtbell]

91. Aloha and RIP

He was a good man.

[Hugin]

92. Mahalo, Senator.

[midnight]

93. He also chaired the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee at the time of his death.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is the largest committee in the U.S. Senate, consisting of 29 members. Its role is defined by the U.S. Constitution, which requires "appropriations made by law" prior to the expenditure of any money from the Treasury, and is therefore one of the most powerful committees in the Senate.The committee was first organized on March 6, 1867, when power over appropriations was taken out of the hands of the Finance Committee.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Senate_Committee_on_Appropriations

[OmahaBlueDog]

94. A truly great American

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."

http://www.inouye.senate.gov/news/press-releases/statement-on-the-passing-of-senator-daniel-k-inouye

While recovering from war wounds and the amputation of his right forearm from the grenade wound (mentioned above) at Percy Jones Army Hospital, Inouye met future Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole, then a fellow patient. While at the same hospital, Inouye also met future fellow Democrat and Senator Philip Hart, who had been injured during D-Day. Dole mentioned to Inouye that after the war he planned to go to Congress; Inouye beat him there by a few years. The two remained lifelong friends. In 2003, the hospital was renamed the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center in honor of the three WWII veterans.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Inouye

Medal of Honor Citation

Second Lieutenant Daniel K. Inouye distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 21 April 1945, in the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy. While attacking a defended ridge guarding an important road junction, Second Lieutenant Inouye skillfully directed his platoon through a hail of automatic weapon and small arms fire, in a swift enveloping movement that resulted in the capture of an artillery and mortar post and brought his men to within 40 yards of the hostile force. Emplaced in bunkers and rock formations, the enemy halted the advance with crossfire from three machine guns. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Second Lieutenant Inouye crawled up the treacherous slope to within five yards of the nearest machine gun and hurled two grenades, destroying the emplacement. Before the enemy could retaliate, he stood up and neutralized a second machine gun nest. Although wounded by a sniper’s bullet, he continued to engage other hostile positions at close range until an exploding grenade shattered his right arm. Despite the intense pain, he refused evacuation and continued to direct his platoon until enemy resistance was broken and his men were again deployed in defensive positions. In the attack, 25 enemy soldiers were killed and eight others captured. By his gallant, aggressive tactics and by his indomitable leadership, Second Lieutenant Inouye enabled his platoon to advance through formidable resistance, and was instrumental in the capture of the ridge. Second Lieutenant Inouye’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.

[jsr]

104. "He pried the grenade out of his right hand and threw it at the German gunman"

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/183853331.html

Sen. Daniel K. Inouye dies at age 88 of respiratory illness
By Derrick DePledge

... In northern Italy in April 1945 as the war in Europe was coming to an end, Inouye moved his platoon against German troops near San Terenzo. Inouye crawled up a slope and tossed two hand grenades into a German machine-gun nest. He stood up with his tommy gun and raked a second machine-gun nest before being shot in the stomach. But he kept charging until his right arm was hit by an enemy rifle grenade and shattered.

"I looked at it, stunned and disbelieving. It dangled there by a few bloody shreds of tissue, my grenade still clenched in a fist that suddenly didn't belong to me anymore," Inouye wrote in his 1967 autobiography, "Journey to Washington," written with Lawrence Elliott.

Inouye wrote that he pried the grenade out of his right hand and threw it at the German gunman, who was killed by the explosion. He continued firing his gun until he was shot in the right leg and knocked down the hillside. Badly wounded, he ordered his men to keep attacking and they took the ridge from the enemy. ...

[ButterflyBlood]

103. Aloha to a real American hero

RIP

[DinahMoeHum]

105. ". . .one last embrace, ere we depart, until we meet again. . ."

- Aloha Oe

Patriot, Soldier, Hero, Public Servant.

Aloha and Rest In Peace, Senator Inouye.

[gemini_liberal]

106. Up to a few days ago Hawaii had two of the most senior US Senators,

Soon, it will have two of the most junior US Senators. Funny how quickly things change...

RIP, Senator.

[Dakota Farmer]

110. Another great one passes,

R.I.P. You will be missed.

[hrmjustin]

118. Welcome to DU and I hope you enjoy the site.

[tavalon]

111. He was a good man

Therefore, I will not ruin a good myth. Aloha is a beautiful last word (that there is no way he said. Darn it, I tried not to ruin it). It's unlikely that he was able to say anything. He had to have been on a respirator.

Nonetheless, Aloha Senator, may your journey be swift and kind and may your family take comfort that you are no longer suffering.

[sarge43]

112. Courage, honor and service in peace and war.

Aloha sir. Thank you.

[MrScorpio]

114. Rest in power, a true American hero nt

[DissidentVoice]

115. A TRUE hero

Senator Inouye put the lie to Republicans who tried to co-opt "patriotism" and being supportive of the military, while too often being chickenshit chickenhawks:

Distinguished Service Cross (the Army's second highest award), upgraded to MoH in 2000
Bronze Star
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster (two awards)
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
WWII Victory Medal
Chief Commander of the Legion of Honour (Phillippines)
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (Japan)
Chevalier, Legion d'Honneur (France)
Grand Order of the Pawlonia Flowers (Japan)

Battlefield commission as Second Lieutenant, discharged as a Captain.

A great American, a great Hawaiian.

It's too bad he didn't have Presidential aspirations.

Thank you, Sir and God bless you for your years of service.

[olddad56]

122. RIP, Senator, you truly were an amazing man living an amazing life. Thank you for your service.

especially during WW2.