his wife were later interned in the Manzanar Japanese-American internment camp at the onset of World War II. During this time, Miyagi joined the U.S. Army and received the Medal of Honor. He was a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, historically the most highly decorated regiment, for its size, of the United States Armed Forces, including 21 Medal of Honor recipients (at the time of the Karate Kid film series, there was only one regiment member awarded the Medal of Honor—Sadao S. Munemori, who received it posthumously in 1946; 20 other regiment members were upgraded from the Distinguished Service Cross in 2000). During this time, his commanding officer Lieutenant Jack Pierce saved his life. As a way of saying "thank you," Miyagi taught him karate (and Pierce taught him ballroom dancing). While still fighting overseas, he received a telegram informing him that on November 2, 1944, his wife and newborn child (who were still interned at Manzanar) died due to "complications arising from childbirth." Forty years later, when telling the story to Daniel in The Karate Kid, he says that despite being the "Land of the Free" and "Home of the Brave," they died because there were no doctors there to help her. WWII awards and decorations Listed below are the medals and service awards displayed on Miyagi's Staff Sergeant's uniform in the first film. 1945-1984 Miyagi never fully recovered from the loss of his wife and child. At some point prior to 1984, he became an apartment complex maintenance man, and built a traditional Japanese garden in the back of his home (which is shown in the opening sequence of Cobra Kai (season 2), Episode 6) where he lived alone. He also restored classic cars. 1984-1994 The Karate Kid (1984) In 1984, Miyagi (who is now 59 years old) is working as a maintenance man at the South Seas apartment complex Daniel LaRusso and his mother have just moved into. When Daniel throws away his bike after it is damaged in an ambush by Johnny Lawrence (who is jealous that Daniel is dating Ali) and other members of Cobra Kai, Miyagi repairs and returns it. He later rescues Daniel after he is beaten up by the same bullies during a Halloween party, fending off all the attackers easily. When Daniel realizes that Miyagi saved him, he asks to be taught karate. Miyagi initially declines, wanting instead to