Vincent Hichiro Okamoto was an American attorney, judge, author, and retired United States Army officer.
21 Facts About Vincent Okamoto
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Vincent Okamoto was the youngest of the ten children of Henry and Yone Okamoto.
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Vincent Okamoto attended Gardena High School, where he served as senior class president.
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Vincent Okamoto was a three-year letterman in track and football and belonged to the Men's Honor Society.
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Vincent Okamoto enrolled in the ROTC and was the first non-UCLA student to be commissioned through the UCLA ROTC program.
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Vincent Okamoto earned his commission as a US Army 2nd Lieutenant.
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In 1968, Vincent Okamoto was assigned as the intelligence-liaison officer for two months for the Phoenix Program while attached to Company B of the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division.
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Vincent Okamoto distinguished himself on August 24,1968, while serving as a platoon leader with an infantry unit near Dau Tieng.
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Under heavy automatic weapons, small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire, Vincent Okamoto moved five of his men to restore this vital position.
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Vincent Okamoto married his sweetheart, Mitzi Nishiyama on December 8,1967.
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Vincent Okamoto was instrumental in establishing the Japanese American Vietnam War Veterans Memorial at the National Japanese American Veterans Memorial Court.
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Vincent Okamoto spent five years as a prosecutor and eight years practicing law privately.
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Vincent Okamoto was honored as the 2006 UCLA Veteran of the Year.
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Vincent Okamoto continued to serve the community on various Veterans boards, in Gardena city government.
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Vincent Okamoto was a novelist as well, having penned Wolfhound Samurai: A Novel of the Vietnam War.
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Vincent Okamoto was laid to rest next to his mother, Yone Okamoto at Green Hills Cemetery.
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Vincent Okamoto was the highest-decorated living Japanese-American veteran of the Vietnam War.
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Vincent Okamoto was inducted into Ranger Hall of Fame on September 1,2007.
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Vincent Okamoto is the fourth Japanese American to receive the honor.
20.
Second Lieutenant Vincent Okamoto distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on August 24,1968, while serving as a platoon leader with an infantry unit near Dau Tieng.
21.
Under heavy automatic weapons, small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire, Lieutenant Vincent Okamoto moved with five of his men to restore this vital position.