Daniel Ken Inouye

Daniel Ken Inouye, born in 1924, Democratic member of the United States Senate from Hawaii (1963-). Inouye was born in Honolulu and educated at the University of Hawaii. He was decorated for bravery in World War II (1939-1945), in which he lost his right arm. Inouye received his law degree in 1952 from George Washington University and returned to Honolulu to practice law. He worked as public prosecutor beginning in 1953. In 1959 he became the first Congressional representative from the new state of Hawaii and the first Japanese American member of Congress. In 1962 he was elected to the United States Senate and was reelected in subsequent elections.

Inouye’s reputation for integrity and his conciliatory skills won him frequent appointments to leadership positions. He cosponsored the War Powers Act of 1973, and he served on the Senate committee that investigated the Watergate scandal. In 2000 President Bill Clinton awarded Inouye the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest award, for his service in World War II.