Willibald C. Bianchi’s Medal of Honor Citation

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR (Posthumously) to

First Lieutenant Willibald Charles Bianchi

UNITED STATES ARMY

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:
for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy on 3 February 1942, near Bagac, Province of Bataan, Philippine Islands, while serving with the 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts. When the rifle platoon of another company was ordered to wipe out two strong enemy machinegun nests, First Lieutenant Bianchi voluntarily and of his own initiative, advanced with the platoon leading part of the men. When wounded early in the action by two bullets through the left hand, he did not stop for first aid but discarded his rifle and began firing a pistol. He located a machinegun nest and personally silenced it with grenades. When wounded the second time by two machinegun bullets through the chest muscles, First Lieutenant Bianchi climbed to the top of an American tank, manned its anti-aircraft machinegun, and fired into strongly held enemy position until knocked completely off the tank by a third severe wound.

Born March 12, 1915 in New Ulm, Minn…. Survived the attack on the Japanese hell ship ORYOKU MARU only to later be killed aboard ENOURA MARU on Jan. 9, 1945 when it was mistakenly attacked by an American attack aircraft… Interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu