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First Lieutenant · U.S. Army

Willibald Charles Bianchi

First Lieutenant Willibald Charles Bianchi, Army, received the Medal of Honor posthumously for actions on February 3, 1942 near Bagac, Bataan Province, Luzon, Philippine Islands during World War II.

World War II February 3, 1942Posthumous

First Lieutenant Willibald Charles Bianchi was a soldier in the U.S. Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on February 3, 1942 near Bagac, Bataan Province, Luzon, Philippine Islands during World War II. At the time he was serving with 45th Infantry, Philippine Scouts. Bianchi was 26 years old.

The medal was presented on June 7, 1945, 3 years after the action. Philippine Islands - Presented by Gen. Douglas MacArthur & Fort Snelling, Minnesota presented to his Mother. He later rose to the rank of Captain.

Bianchi was born on March 12, 1915 in New Ulm, Brown County, Minnesota. Bianchi died on January 9, 1945 in POW ship sunk by A.A.C. Attack., Takao, Formosa, at the age of 29. He is buried at New Ulm City Cemetery in New Ulm, Minnesota. His medal is held by Brown County Historical Society Museum, New Ulm, MN. Records also list him as Bill Bianchi.

Bianchi is one of 474 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and one of 45 credited to Minnesota.

★ Wounded but Fought On★ Assaults on Machine-Gun Nests

Official Medal of Honor 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. When the rifle platoon of another company was ordered to wipe out two strong enemy machine-gun nests, 1st Lt. 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 machine-gun nest and personally silenced it with grenades. When wounded the second time by two machine-gun bullets through the chest muscles, 1st Lt. Bianchi climbed to the top of an American tank, manned its antiaircraft machine gun, and fired into strongly held enemy position until knocked completely off the tank by a third severe wound.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Other decorations and honors

Besides the Medal of Honor, Willibald Charles Bianchi received:

Bronze Star MedalPurple Heart

Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: World War II.

Places

  • Born: New Ulm — map
  • Died: Philippines — map
  • Buried: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Minnesota →

From the archives

Willibald Bianchi died while held by Japanese forces as a Prisoner of War aboard the Enoura Maru, which was being used to house several hundred POWs. The ship was attacked by American naval aircraft on January 9, 1945, while it was stationed at Takao Harbor, because the ship was mistaken as a military vessel. Over 300 POWs died from the attack. Bianchi and those who were killed were buried ashore in a mass grave. Following the war, the remains from that mass grave were recovered and reinterred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, as Unknowns. In August 2025, Willibald Bianchi's remains were identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency through DNA.

Timeline

  1. March 12, 1915
    Born in New Ulm, Brown County, Minnesota
  2. February 3, 1942
    Act of valor — near Bagac, Bataan Province, Luzon, Philippine Islands
    Age 26. 45th Infantry, Philippine Scouts
  3. January 9, 1945
    Died in POW ship sunk by A.A.C. Attack., Takao, Formosa
    Age 29.
  4. June 7, 1945
    Medal of Honor presented posthumously
    Philippine Islands - Presented by Gen. Douglas MacArthur & Fort Snelling, Minnesota presented to his Mother
  5. Resting place
    New Ulm City Cemetery
    New Ulm, Minnesota

Biography

Willibald Charles Bianchi (March 12, 1915 – January 9, 1945) was a United States Army officer serving with the Philippine Scouts who received the Medal of Honor during World War II for his actions near Bagac, Philippines, during the Battle of Bataan in 1942. Bianchi is one of three members of the Philippine Scouts who were awarded the Medal of Honor. Bianchi was later among the troops captured by the Japanese at the fall of Bataan, on April 9, 1942. He was killed in action in January 1945, but his remains were unable to be positively identified until 2025.

From the Wikipedia article “Willibald C. Bianchi”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Further reading

More World War II recipients from Minnesota

Louis James Hauge Jr. Corporal · Marine Corps World War II · 1945 ✦ James Dennis la Belle Private First Class · Marine Corps World War II · 1945 ✦ Lloyd C. Hawks Private First Class · Army World War II · 1944 Michael "Mike" Colalillo Private First Class · Army World War II · 1945 Richard Edward Kraus Private First Class · Marine Corps World War II · 1944 ✦ Henry Alexius Courtney Jr. Major · Marine Corps World War II · 1945 ✦
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.