Portrait of a 'true 愛国者': Inspirational photo shows 93-year-old WWII 退役軍人, bedridden with 終点 癌, 決定するd to cast his 投票（する） for the last time

• Frank Tanabe, 93, filled in absentee 投票（する） with the help of his daughter from Honolulu hospital
• Mr Tanabe, who served in 軍の 知能, was awarded 連邦議会の Gold メダル last year
• His daughter Barbara said: 'I think he feels like joining the Army, going to the （軍の）野営地，陣営, fighting in the war, and fighting 差別 - these were all things he did so that we have this precious 権利 to 投票（する）'

By Associated 圧力（をかける）

Published: 13:41 BST, 22 October 2012 | Updated: 14:52 BST, 22 October 2012

A photograph of a 93-year-old World War II 退役軍人 casting what will likely be his last 投票（する） has 逮捕（する）d the hearts of tens of thousands of Internet 使用者s.

The photo shows Frank Tanabe lying in a hospital bed at home as his daughter Barbara Tanabe helps him fill out his absentee 投票（する）.

Half a million people saw the picture on the website Reddit after his grandson 地位，任命するd it there on Thursday, making it one of the most popular items on the social マスコミ 網状組織 for a day after.

Patriotism: 退役軍人 Frank Tanabe, pictured filling out his absentee 投票（する） from his bed in Honolulu with the help of his daughter Barbara (left) and wife Setsuko (権利), as died at age 93

'True Patriotism,' was the 最高の，を越す 率d comment on the 地位，任命する. 'This is America. Amen,' was next, followed by 'Thank you, 国民.'

Doctors 診断するd Tanabe with an inoperable 癌 tumor in his 肝臓 two months ago. He's been in hospice care for the past three weeks at his daughter's home. His 条件 has been 悪化するing, and he's been speaking little lately.

He's been 決定するd to 投票（する） regardless, 熱望して asking when the 投票（する） would be arriving in the mail, his daughter said. She kept telling him, 'don't worry, it's coming'. He filled it out すぐに when it landed in the mailbox on Wednesday.

Barbara Tanabe read aloud the 指名するs of the 候補者s to her dad. He either nodded 'yes' to t he 指名するs or shook his 長，率いる 'no.'

She filled in the boxes on his に代わって, に引き続いて his 指示／教授／教育s even when he didn't 選ぶ the people she 手配中の，お尋ね者.

'There were some that were 承認する, but there were others where I said, ''Dad, are you sure?'" she said.

But he knew what he was doing. He's kept up on the 問題／発行するs, reading newspapers 定期的に until only recently, she said.

Tanabe volunteered to join the Army from behind barbed wire at the Tule Lake 抑留 （軍の）野営地，陣営 in California.

保護する and serve: Frank Tanabe, a Japanese-American, was placed in an 抑留 （軍の）野営地，陣営 before serving in 軍の 知能 during the Second World War

Pride: Frank Tanabe 持つ／拘留するs a replica of the 連邦議会の Gold メダル in Washington, D.C., awarded collectively to Japanese-American 退役軍人s of World War II, 含むing those who served in his 部隊, the 軍の 知能 Service

He was pulled out of college at the University of Washington and taken to the （軍の）野営地，陣営 when 大統領 Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered 110,000 Japanese-Americans 拘留するd and 孤立するd after the start of the war with Japan.

The Army 割り当てるd Tanabe to the 軍の 知能 Service, a 分類するd 部隊 whose members were collectively awarded the 連邦議会の Gold メダル last year along with 兵士s who served in the 100th Infantry 大隊 and 442nd Regimental 戦闘 Team - 高度に decorated segregated 部隊s of mostly Japanese-Americans.

'I'd like to 受託する on に代わって of all hyphenated Americans, 含むing American-Americans,' Tanabe told the Honolulu 星／主役にする-Advertiser at the time. 'We all served together in 弁護 of our country.'

Noah Tanabe, the grandson who 地位，任命するd the photo online, said he thinks about his grandfather every time he 投票（する）s.

Tradition: Frank Tanabe as a baby with his mother Katsuko Okamoto Tanabe

'It's hard to imagine - after his family 商売／仕事 is たいまつd, his family 拘留するd, and 否定するd the 適切な時期 to finish his college education - he volunteered to serve. I don't know if I would have done the same thing, but we are all very proud of him,' he said.

The family has been surprised and gratified by the online comments on the photo, Barbara Tanabe said.

'I think he feels like joining the Army, going to the （軍の）野営地，陣営, fighting in the war, and fighting 差別 - these were all things he did so that we have this precious 権利 to 投票（する）,' she said.

'For so many people to 表明する their 深く心に感じた 尊敬の印 to my father was really, really heartwarming for us.'

Several Reddit commentators asked whether Tanabe's 投票（する） would be counted if he passed away before 選挙 Day on November 6.

Glenn Takahashi, Honolulu 選挙 行政官／管理者, said absentee 投票（する）s cast by 投票者s who later die become 無効の if the 明言する／公表する Department of Health 通知するs 選挙s 公式の／役人s of the death before 選挙 Day.

To 無効の a 投票（する） when that happens, 公式の／役人s have to be able to sort through tens of thousands of 投票（する）s to find the one in question. This is not always practical, and so the 投票（する） is counted if it isn't.

Brothers in 武器: 退役軍人s from the 100th Infantry 大隊 and 442nd Regimental 戦闘 Team all received the 連邦議会の Gold メダル last year for their bravery

A 類似の 状況／情勢 arose in Honolulu four years ago when 大統領 Barack Obama's grandmother died two nights before the 選挙 but after she mailed her absentee 投票（する）. Hawaii counted her 投票（する） anyway because the Health Department didn't receive her 証明書 of death before the 選挙.

Barbara Tanabe said her father, a 静かな, unassuming man, would wonder what the fuss over the photo was about. But he'd be thrilled it encouraged others to 投票（する）, she said.

'That would be the ultimate 栄誉（を受ける） for him,' she said.