Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Medal of Honor

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Staff Sergeant

    Batallion:

    1st Battalion

    Regiment:

    9th Cavalry Regiment

    Division:

    1st Cavalry Division

    Action Date:

    December 1, 1966

    Presented at the White House by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., on July 5, 2022

    The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Edward Noboru Kaneshiro, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Staff Sergeant Kaneshiro distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an Infantry Squad Leader with Troop C, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division near Phu Huu 2, Kim Son Valley, Republic of Vietnam, on 1 December 1966. Not knowing that the village was heavily fortified with a fully bunkered and concealed trench system and garrisoned by North Vietnamese troops in vastly superior force, two squads of the platoon had deployed to its center, while Staff Sergeant Kaneshiro and his squad scouted the more open terrain to the east of the village. Sensing the opportunity to ambush the Infantry squads, the entrenched enemy force erupted with machine gun and small arms fire against the two squads at the center of the village, killing the platoon leader and the point man, wounding four others, then successfully suppressing the surviving soldiers. Staff Sergeant Kaneshiro moved with his men to the sounds of the fire. Swiftly reading the situation, seeing that the fire from the trench had to be stopped if anyone was to survive, he first deployed his men to cover, then crawled forward to attack the enemy force alone. He began by throwing grenades from the parapet while flattened to the ground, successfully throwing the first grenade through the aperture of the bunker, eliminating the machine gunner who had opened the action. With five grenades remaining and his rifle to sustain his assault, Staff Sergeant Kaneshiro jumped into the trench to sweep its length where it fronted the two pinned squads. Over the distance of about 35 meters, he worked the ditch alone, destroying one enemy group with rifle fire and two others with grenades. By the end of his sweep, the able-bodied survivors of the two squads were again standing and preparing to move the dead and wounded. Staff Sergeant Kaneshiro’s actions enabled the orderly extrication and reorganization of the platoon which ultimately led to a successful withdrawal from the village. Staff Sergeant Kaneshiro’s conspicuous gallantry and uncommon heroism under fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

  • Silver Star

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Staff Sergeant

    Batallion:

    1st Battalion

    Regiment:

    9th Cavalry

    Division:

    1st Cavalry Division

    Action Date:

    Vietnam War

    (Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Staff Sergeant Edward Noboru Kaneshiro (ASN: RA-10113707), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, in action against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.