Shizuya hayashi biography of rory

Shizuya Hayashi (Japanese: 林 静也, November 28, 1917 – March 12, 2008) was a soldier in the 100th Infantry Battalion of the United States Army.^[1] He received the Medal of Honor for actions in Cerasuolo, Italy during World War II.^[2]

Early life

Hayashi was born in Waialua, Hawaii.

He is the son of immigrants who were born in Japan. He is a Nisei, which means that he is a second generation Japanese-American.^[3]

Soldier

Nine months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hayashi was drafted into the US Army in March 1941.^[4] He was given the nickname "Cesar" because his sergeant could not pronounce his name.^[5]

Hayashi volunteered to be part of the all-Nisei 100th Infantry Battalion.^[6] This army unit was mostly made up of Japanese Americans from Hawaii.^[7]

For his actions in November 1943, Hayashi was awarded the Army's second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross.