1924
Asian Exclusion Act passes
Asian Exclusion Act passes

The Asian Exclusion Act bars all Asian immigrants to the U.S.

Newspaper headline from May 26, 1924 from the THE DAY, New London, Connecticut

Born in Honolulu
Born in Honolulu

Oldest of four children of Hyotaro and Kame Imanaga Inouye. Father Hyotaro immigrated as a child to Hawaii from Japan aboard the S.S. City of Peking on July 24, 1899.

View his naturalization documents.

Senator as a baby; dated March 1, 1925

1941
Pearl Harbor bombed by Japanese
Pearl Harbor bombed by Japanese

U.S. enters World War II.

1942
1943
Enlists in Army
Enlists in Army

Inouye was one of the youngest, and second to last to be accepted as a member of the 442nd Regiment for Japanese-American soldiers.

1945
Wounded in battle, loses right arm
Wounded in battle, loses right arm

Inouye loses right arm in an attack against a German bunker in northern Italy.

1947
Honorably discharged as Captain
Honorably discharged as Captain

Returns home with a Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star Medal, 2 Purple Hearts, and 12 other medals and citations.

1949
1950
1952
Graduates from George Washington University Law School
Graduates from George Washington University Law School

Dan Inouye’s Law Degree diploma from George Washington University Law School, November 11, 1952 in Washington, D.C.

1954
Elected into Territorial House of Representatives
Elected into Territorial House of Representatives

Inouye will later become majority leader for the Territorial House, and then move on to the
Territorial Senate.

Official Photo of the Members of the House of Representatives – the 28th Legislature of the Territory of Hawaii, 1955.

Hawaii Democratic Revolution
Hawaii Democratic Revolution

Democratic Party of Hawaii takes control of Territorial Legislature and becomes majority party.

Robert Oshiro, Governor John Burns and Senator Dan Inuoye

1959
Sworn in as Hawaii’s first Representative to U.S. House
Sworn in as Hawaii’s first Representative to U.S. House

Senator and Maggie in the House campaign.

1962
Elected to U.S. Senate
Elected to U.S. Senate

Becomes first Japanese-American senator.

Read his maiden speech to the U.S. Senate.

Newly elected U.S. Senator Dan Inouye being sworn into the U.S. Senate by Vice President Lyndon B Johnson on Jan. 9, 1963.

1964
Civil Rights Act banning racial discrimination signed by President Lyndon Johnson
Civil Rights Act banning racial discrimination signed by President Lyndon Johnson

The Civil Rights Act signing ceremony by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Son Daniel K. “Ken” Inouye Jr. is born
Son Daniel K. “Ken” Inouye Jr. is born

Senator Dan and Maggie Inouye with newly born son — Kenny (about 6 weeks old) taken on August, 31, 1964 by Associated Press.

1968
1969
Reverses position on Vietnam War
Reverses position on Vietnam War

Inouye and others call for end to American military involvement in Vietnam.

1973
Member of Senate Watergate Committee
Member of Senate Watergate Committee

Participates in nationally televised hearings that mesmerized the American public and led to President Nixon’s resignation.

Read his opening statement.

1976
Named Chairman for Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Named Chairman for Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

Inouye serves as first chairman of a committee created after a 15-month investigation into abuses by the nation’s intelligence agencies.

Senator Inouye as Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee with Vice Chair Senator Barry Goldwater on February 23, 1977.

1987
Serves as Chairman of Senate Select Committee investigating Iran-Contra affair
Serves as Chairman of Senate Select Committee investigating Iran-Contra affair

Committee investigates alleged arms-for-hostages program.

Read his closing statement from the hearings.

Senator Inouye chairing the Senate Select Committee Investigating the Iran-Contra Affair in 1987.

Named Chairman of Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
Named Chairman of Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

During his tenure as chairman, Inouye led the enactment of landmark legislation affecting almost every aspect of life in Native America.

Senator Inouye in an Indian headdress with the Crow Nation in March 2008.

1989
Serves as Chairman of Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense
Serves as Chairman of Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense

Inouye served as chairman of this subcommittee three different times between 1989 and 2012 as Senate control changed from Democratic to Republican.

As Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, U.S. Senator Inouye rode in a helicopter to get an aerial briefing of Hawaii’s military.

2000
Awarded Medal of Honor by President Clinton
Awarded Medal of Honor by President Clinton

The Distinguished Service Cross, given to 22 Asian-American soldiers who served in World War II, is finally upgraded to a Medal of Honor.

2003
U.S. invades Iraq
U.S. invades Iraq

Senator Inouye speaking on the U.S. Senate floor regarding the war in Iraq.

2006
2007
Assumes chairmanship of Senate Commerce Committee
Assumes chairmanship of Senate Commerce Committee

Inouye’s chairmanship served Hawaii and the nation well with jurisdiction over aviation, martitime, telecommunications, tourism, science and technology.

2008
Marries Irene Hirano
Marries Irene Hirano

Dan Inouye and Irene Hirano Inouye marry on May 24, 2008. Photo by Erik Hyler.

Becomes Chairman of Senate Appropriations Committee
Becomes Chairman of Senate Appropriations Committee

As chairman, the senator focused on strengthening national security while ensuring our armed forces had the best equipment and training.

Senator Inouye confers with Senator Ted Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, during a hearing.

2010
Granddaughter Maggie born
Granddaughter Maggie born

Baby Maggie visits grandpa at his office in the Hart Senate Office Building in 2010.

Appointed President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Appointed President Pro Tempore of the Senate

As President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate (third in line of presidential succession), Inouye becomes the highest-ranking public official of Asian descent in U.S. history.

Senator Inouye presiding over the U.S. Senate as its newly named President Pro Tempore on June 30, 2010.

2012
Dies at 88
Dies at 88

Senator Inouye’s Senate and House colleagues paid him the greatest tribute by unanimously passing a Joint Resolution on December 18th to allow his body to lie in state in the rotunda of our nation’s capitol.

2013
Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

Inouye was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Irene Hirano accepts the 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom for her late husband Daniel Inouye.