Joe M. Nishimoto was born on February 21, 1919 in Fresno, California.On November 7, 1944, serving as a Private First Class, in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, he and his company were in action near La Houssiere, France. After unsuccessful attempts to dislodge the enemy from a strongly defended ridge, Nishimoto, as acting squad leader, crawled forward through a heavily mined area, hurled a grenade and destroyed a German a machine gun nest. Circling to the rear of another machine gun position, he knocked it out with point-blank gunfire, pursuing two fleeing riflemen, killing one and capturing the other. He then drove a third crew from its position causing their forces in key strong points to be taken and the remaining enemy to withdraw from that sector. One week later he was killed in another action. During White House ceremonies on June 21, 2000, he and twenty other Asian-Americans had their Distinguished Service Crosses upgraded to Medals of Honor. His Medal of Honor was posthumously awarded to his family by President Clinton.

PFC Nishimoto died on November 14, 1944 at the age of 25 in La Houssiere, France and is now buried in the Washington Colony Cemetery, Fresno, Fresno County, California, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com