Daniel Akaka
| Daniel Akaka | |
|---|---|
 |
|
|
United States Senator from Hawaii |
|
|
In office May 16, 1990 – January 3, 2013 |
|
| Preceded by | Spark Matsunaga |
| Succeeded by | Mazie Hirono |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 2nd district |
|
|
In office January 3, 1977 – May 16, 1990 |
|
| Preceded by | Patsy Mink |
| Succeeded by | Patsy Mink |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Daniel Kahikina Akaka September 11, 1924 Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Chong |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | University of Hawaii, Manoa (BEd, MEd) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1945–1947 |
| Rank |
 Corporal
|
| Unit | Corps of Engineers |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Daniel Kahikina Akaka (/əˈkɑːkə/; born September 11, 1924) is an American politician who was a United States Senator from Hawaii from 1990 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Akaka was the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry.
Born in Honolulu, he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. He attended the University of Hawaii, where he received his bachelor's and master's degrees. Originally a high school teacher, he went on to serve as a principal for six years. In 1969, he was hired by the Department of Education as a chief program planner. In the 1970s, he served in various governmental positions. He was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976 to represent Hawaii's Second Congressional District, and he served for 13 years. In 1990, he was appointed to the U.S. Senate to succeed the deceased Spark Matsunaga. Akaka would later be re-elected to three full terms. In March 2011, he announced that he would not run for re-election in 2012. After fellow senator Daniel Inouye died on December 17, 2012, Akaka became the state's senior senator, and remained so briefly until he left office on January 3, 2013. He was succeeded by fellow Democrat Mazie Hirono.
Daniel Kahikina Akaka (Chinese: 李碩; pinyin: Lǐ Shuò) was born in Honolulu, the son of Annie (née Kahoa) and Kahikina Akaka. His paternal grandfather was born in Swatow, Guangdong, Qing China, and his other grandparents were of Native Hawaiian descent. His brother was Rev. Abraham Akaka. He served from 1945 to 1947. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including service on Saipan and Tinian. He worked as a welder and a mechanic and spent his final months of the war as a first mate on the vessel Morning Star.
...
Wikipedia