Bronze Star recipient honored in ceremony 40 years later

  • Published
  • By Terri Paden
  • 15th Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  More than 40 years after earning a Bronze Star Medal, a Vietnam veteran was formally presented the decoration in a ceremony here July 26.

The Bronze Star was officially awarded to former U.S. Army Capt. Myron Kawakami during his final assignment at Fort Lewis, Wash., in 1971 though there was never a ceremony or presentation.

The medal, awarded for meritorious duty in Vietnam, was presented by 15th Wing Commander, Col. Johnny Roscoe.

"Service, motivation, inspiration and courage -- you are the epitome of all of these," he told Kawakami before presenting him with his medal.

Roscoe told Kawakami the amount of time it took to have the medal properly presented in no way diminishes the importance of his service.

"We do remember and we do believe that your service deserves to be honored," he said.
Kawakami, who joined the Army as part of the Dental Corp, deployed to the 137th Medical Detachment in Long Binh, Vietnam, in September of 1969; where he focused on improving the life of his patients.

While in Vietnam, Kawakami was forward deployed to an engineering battalion in Dong Tam, a one square-mile station in Mekong Delta. As the solo dentist for the unit he took care of his primary duties and pitched in wherever he was needed. This frequently meant assisting the medical personnel under fire, and helping out at the aid station when there was not enough medical help to treat the wounded.

Kawakami was commended by his commanding officers for his "exemplary total patient care in the field of dentistry and his restorative techniques."

"I was just doing my job," Kawakami said of his time in Vietnam.

"From the time I was commissioned I realized [going to] Vietnam was a very real possibility," he said. "Time goes so quickly ... I remember it just like it was yesterday. The day I got my orders was a day I'll always remember."

After publically accepting the medal from Roscoe, Kawakami expressed his gratitude for the "long overdue" ceremony.

"Thank you so much," he said. "It's like waiting for something you felt would never happen, yet it's happening."

Kawakami said the medal had been hidden away in his night stand for more than 40 years before today's ceremony.

"The best thing about my Vietnam saga is today," he said.

Recognizing the efforts of his fellow comrades in battle, Kawakami said he was accepting his medal on behalf of all the other men and women who were never told "thank you" for serving in Vietnam.

Although his Vietnam days are long behind him, Kawakami continues to serve his country and honor service members today through his work with the Friends of Hickam organization.

Members of Friends of Hickam serve as facilitators between the 15th Wing and the Hawaii community and work to promote closer relationships between the base and the local community, a job Colonel Roscoe said is, "truly service in every sense of the word."

"This is America saying thank you today," Roscoe said in regards to Kawakami's time in Vietnam and his long-time commitment to Hickam Airmen.