September 7, 1924. Born, the eldest of four children, to Hyotaro and Kame Inouye.Political Career
1942. Graduated from McKinley High School.
1944-1947. Served with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team; honorably discharged as a Captain.
1948. Married Margaret Shinobu Awamura.
1950. Graduated from the University of Hawaii with a B.A. degree in economics and government.
1952. Graduated from George Washington University Law School with a J.D. degree.
1953-1954. Served as Deputy Public Prosecutor, City and County of Honolulu.
1954. Elected to the Hawaii Territorial House of Representatives; reelected in 1956.
1958. Elected to the Hawaii Territorial Senate.
1959. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as the 50th State's first Congressman; re-elected in 1960.
1962. Elected to the United States Senate; re-elected in 1968, 1974, 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998, and 2004.
1968. Delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, appealing for racial understanding and progressive change through democratic institutions.
1973-1974. Gained national recognition and respect as a member of the Senate Watergate Committee.
1976-1979. Became the first Chairman of the Senate Select Committee in Intelligence, a post he voluntarily relinquished after one term.
1979-1988. Served as the third-ranking leader among Senate Democrats as Secretary of the Democratic Conference.
1984. Chaired the Senate Democratic Central America Study Group to assess U.S. policy; served as Senior Counselor to the National Bipartisan Commission on Central America, or the "Kissinger Commission."
1987. Chaired the Senate Select Committee on Secret Military Assistance to Iran and the Nicaraguan Opposition, which held public hearings on the Iran-Contra affair.
1988. Secured passage of the Native Hawaiian Education Act and Native Hawaiian Health Care Act.
1991. Served as Chairman of the Democratic Steering Committee.
1993. Secured the resolution in which the United States apologized for its role in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
1999. Presented the Spirit of Hope award, the highest honor given by the United Service Organizations, or USO, for epitomizing honor, courage and selfless service.
2000. Awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from the Government of Japan for distinguished merit.
2000. Presented the Medal of Honor.
2002. Presented the Advocacy Conference Congressional Award from the National Breast Cancer Coalition.
2002. Received the Friend of the Coast award from the American Coastal Coalition for preserving coral reef ecosystems in the Western Pacific.
2003. Presented the Sonny Montgomery Award from the National Guard Bureau for exceptional support of the nation's defense.
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