Thomas Tanaka

Thomas Tanaka was drafted into the U.S. Army in November 1950 and was assigned to the 24th Division, 19th Regiment.

In October 1951, PFC Tanaka was wounded-in-action by a North Korean mortar in Kumsong, North Korea.

Along with his Purple Heart, PFC Tanaka was awarded the Korean Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, and the United Nations Service medal.

After leaving the Army, Tanaka worked for the U.S. Postal Service and became involved in veterans causes. He is a former commander for the Military Order of the Purple Heart Department of Hawaii Chapter 483. Tanaka was nominated for the Patriot Project by fellow Purple Heart recipient Robert Cox, Hawaii’s honoree during the 2019 Purple Heart Patriot Project.