Medal of Honor to be awarded for Korea

ZUI this article from the Maui News:

Family members of the late Anthony T. Kahoohanohano could not contain their excitement Wednesday when President Barack Obama signed a bill that included a provision to award the Medal of Honor to Kahoohanohano who died fighting in the Korean War in 1951.

It "feels great . . . like a big weight was lifted off our shoulders," said Madeline Kahoohanohano of Kahului, Anthony Kahoohanohano's sister-in-law.

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Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 on Wednesday in the East Room of the White House in Washington. The White House will determine where and when the award will be given, and those details have not been finalized, [US Senator Daniel] Akaka's staff said.

ZUI also this article from the Honolulul Star-Bulletin:

[Pfc] Kahoohanohano, from Maui, was 19 when he was killed Sept. 1, 1951, at Chupa-ri on the Korean peninsula. He was assigned to Company H, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, and was in charge of a machine gun squad supporting another Army company when the enemy attacked.

The citation for his Distinguished Service Cross says, "Because of the overwhelming numbers of the enemy, it was necessary for the friendly troops to execute a limited withdrawal."

Kahoohanohano's squad provided covering fire for the withdrawing forces. Wounded in the shoulder, Ka-hoohanohano "gathered a supply of grenades and ammunition and returned to his original position to face the enemy alone."

The enemy concentrated on Kahoohanohano's position, and when he ran out of ammunition, he continued to fight with a shovel. His stand inspired U.S. forces to launch a counterattack, the Army citation said.

The bodies of 13 enemy soldiers were found in Kahoohanohano's position. Two had been beaten to death with the shovel.

Update 1109 7 Aug 10: It's been over ten months since this was announced, but the medal has still not been presented.