Daniel Kahikina Akaka's Legacy
Our veterans' home is proudly named after the late Hawaiʻi Senator Daniel Kahikina Akaka. He was born on September 11, 1924, and was raised in Pauoa Valley on the island of Oʻahu. Senator Akaka graduated from The Kamehameha School for Boys in 1942. While in high school, he began an apprenticeship as a welder at the Hawaiian Electric power plant near the Aloha Tower and continued at the power plant until joining the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a civilian. He remained in the Corps after being drafted into the Army during World War II serving on Saipan and Tinian (1945-1947).
Senator Akaka was witness to the beginning and ending of the War in the Pacific. He watched the bombing of Pearl Harbor from his dormitory room at the Kamehameha Schools campus and was witness to the preparation of the Enola Gay and “Little Boy” before it left Tinian for Hiroshima.
Following his honorable discharge from the Army, he served on the missionary schooner, Morning Star VI, for one year in the South Pacific. He returned to HawaiÊ»i and used his GI Bill benefits for college. He received a Bachelor of Education degree in 1952 and a Master of Education degree in 1966 from the University of Hawai’i at MaÌ„noa.
He was a school teacher, vice-principal, principal, and the chief program planner in the Department of Education. He became the director of the Hawai'i Office of Economic Opportunity in 1971 under Governor John Burns and was hired as a special assistant for Human Resources in the Governor's office as well as the Director of the Office of Progressive Neighborhoods Program in 1974.
​
Senator Akaka was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976 and served until May 16, 1990. He was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1990 and later won a special election to the Senate in November 1990. He continued serving in the U.S. Senate until January 3, 2013. Senator Akaka was the first Native Hawaiian U.S. Senator and the only Chinese American member of the U.S. Senate.
One of the committees he served on as chairman was the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Senator Akaka played an important role to ensure expeditious handling of the wounds of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the “invisible wounds of war” and traumatic brain injury (TBI). He believed he suffered from PTSD after the war ended. He also worked with Senator Jim Webb to pass into law a new 21st century GI Bill with expanded veterans education benefits. The GI Bill he used for college not only gave him the opportunity to go to college but structured him to move forward in life which is why increasing GI Bill benefits was so important. He felt legislation caring for service members and veterans and their families with expanded VA services was one of the most sacred obligations of our nation because they were asked to sacrifice so much, and they made those sacrifices.
Senator Akaka introduced legislation enabling military intelligence, Asian American and Pacific Islander veterans to receive military awards that were withheld resulting in the belated awarding of medals to Asian American World War II veterans in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion. This included Senator Daniel Inouye who received the Medal of Honor, the Nation’s highest award for valor. He also passed legislation to provide compensation to Philippine Scouts who had previously been denied veteran benefits.
Senator Akaka always wanted to be of service, to be able to help people. He felt fortunate that he was able to be of benefit to the people while serving in the U.S. Congress. His goal was to bring the spirit of Aloha to our Nation's Capital, and like in HawaiÊ»i, look out for one another, work together, and treat each other with respect. A hui hou as the work continues to improve people’s lives and to reinforce the strength of our Nation.