PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHY EASTWOOD / U.S. ARMY U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye was honored yesterday with the 2001 Thayer Award by the U.S. Military Academy. Inouye talked with academy superintendent, Lt. Gen. William Lennox Jr., at a West Point Club reception.

West Point honors
Inouye with award

He is recognized as exemplifying
"Duty, Honor, Country"

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Star-Bulletin staff

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. awarded U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye with the 2001 Thayer Award last night for exemplifying the academy's motto of "Duty, Honor, Country."

The award, bestowed annually since 1958 by the Association of Graduates, was presented to Inouye yesterday at the West Point academy.

In 1943, Inouye enlisted in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the highly decorated "Go for Broke" regiment. He returned to Hawaii in 1947 as a captain, with a Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart with cluster, and 12 other medals and citations. In 2000 the cross was upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

He was elected as Hawaii's first congressman in 1959. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1962, Inouye currently is the fourth most senior senator and has been active in shaping U.S. defense policies. He is chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, chairman of the Communications Subcommittee and chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee.

The Thayer Award was established in honor of Col. Sylvanus Thayer, known as the "Father of the Military Academy."