Francis B. Wai
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Francis Brown Wai (April 14, 1917 – October 20, 1944) was a United States Army
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
who was killed in action during the U.S. amphibious assault and liberation of the Philippine Islands from
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
in 1944, during World War II. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for extraordinary heroism in action on Leyte. As a youngster, Wai liked to surf and he played several sports in high school and college. He graduated from college with a degree in finance. Although he initially planned to work with his father, he joined the Hawaii National Guard in 1940, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1941. Wai was initially awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...
(DSC), the United States' second highest decoration for valor in combat. After an extensive review of military awards in 2000, his DSC was upgraded to the Medal of Honor (MOH). Wai is the only
Chinese American Chinese Americans are Americans of Han Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans. Many Chinese Americans along with their ancestors trace lineage from ...
soldier to ever receive the Medal of Honor.


Early life

Wai was the child of Kim Wai, a
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
who immigrated to Hawaii and Rosina Wai, a Native Hawaiian. Growing up, he often surfed with
Duke Kahanamoku Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968) was a Hawaiian competition swimmer who popularized the sport of surfing. A Native Hawaiian, he was born to a minor noble family less than three years before th ...
, regarded as the father of
surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitabl ...
, and Buster Crabbe, who later became an actor. He graduated from
Punahou School Punahou School (known as Oahu College until 1934) is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school in Honolulu, Hawaii. More than 3,700 students attend the school from kindergarten through twelfth grade, 12th grade. Protestant missionar ...
, a prestigious
college preparatory school A college-preparatory school (usually shortened to preparatory school or prep school) is a type of secondary school. The term refers to public, private independent or parochial schools primarily designed to prepare students for higher education ...
in Honolulu, Hawaii, where in 1935 he earned athletic letters in track, football and baseball. He attended Sacramento Junior College for two years before transferring in 1937 to UCLA. At UCLA, he was a four sport athlete and graduated on January 31, 1940 with a bachelor's degree in Banking and Finance. He intended to work alongside his father in real estate and banking but instead joined the military upon the outbreak of World War II.


Military service and death

Wai enlisted in the
Hawaii National Guard The Hawaii National Guard consists of the Hawaii Army National Guard and the Hawaii Air National Guard. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. Those functions range f ...
in October 1940 and was called into active duty before the United States' entrance into World War II. After completing Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, he received a commission as a second lieutenant on September 27, 1941. His commission was rare at a time when few Asian Americans were allowed to serve in combat leadership roles. He was eventually assigned as an intelligence officer with Headquarters Company, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division with the rank of captain. The 24th Division, based at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, was among the first American units to be involved in the
Pacific Theater The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
, exchanging fire with Japanese aircraft during the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.


Operation Reckless

In May 1943, Captain Wai deployed to Australia with the 24th Infantry Division and by September 19, 1943, the unit was at Camp Caves, near
Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of the ...
, on the eastern coast of Australia. Wai and the rest of the unit began intensive combat training.''Almanac'', p. 527. With training completed, the division moved to Goodenough Island on January 31, 1944, to prepare for
Operation Reckless Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
, the amphibious invasion of
Hollandia Hollandia may refer to: * HVV Hollandia, Dutch football team * Hollandia Victoria Combinatie, defunct Dutch football team * ''Hollandia'' (1742 ship), a ship of the Dutch East India Company, wrecked in 1743 on her maiden voyage * Jayapura, a city ...
, Netherlands New Guinea (now
Jayapura Jayapura (formerly Dutch: ''Hollandia'') is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of Papua. It is situated on the northern coast of New Guinea island and covers an area of . The city borders the Pacific Ocean and Yos Sudarso ...
, in the Papua province of Indonesia). The 24th Division landed at Tanahmerah Bay on April 22, 1944 and seized the Hollandia Airdrome despite torrential rain and marshy terrain. Shortly after the Hollandia landing, the division's 34th Infantry Regiment moved to Biak to reinforce the 41st Infantry Division. Wai's regiment captured the Sorido and Borokoe airdromes before returning to the division on Hollandia in July. In two months, the 34th Infantry and Wai had crossed New Guinea and recaptured three airdromes from the Japanese.


Leyte

After occupying the Hollandia area, Wai's Division was assigned to
X Corps 10th Corps, Tenth Corps, or X Corps may refer to: France * 10th Army Corps (France) * X Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars Germany * X Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army * X ...
of the Sixth United States Army in preparation for the invasion of the Philippines and embarked on October 13, 1944. The invasion began on October 17. On October 20, the 24th Infantry Division was paired with the 1st Cavalry Division within X Corps, and the two divisions made an assault landing at Leyte. The Leyte operation was to be the crucial battle of the war in the Pacific. On its outcome would depend the fate of the Philippines and the future course of the war against Japan. When the 34th Infantry landed at Red Beach, the Japanese forces stationed on the island concentrated their fire on the waves of incoming troops from gun positions located in a palm grove bounded by submerged rice paddies. Wai arrived on the beach in the fifth wave and found one of the rifle company commanders in the 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry had been killed and most members of the battalion were leaderless, disorganized, and pinned down on the open beach. Assuming command, and using a BAR (
Browning Automatic Rifle The Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) is a family of American automatic rifles and machine guns used by the United States and numerous other countries during the 20th century. The primary variant of the BAR series was the M1918, chambered for the . ...
), he moved through the rice paddies, without cover. His demeanor and example inspired the other men to follow him. With deliberate disregard of his own personal safety, he advanced without cover to draw Japanese machine gun and rifle fire, thus exposing the locations of the entrenched Japanese forces. Systematically, the Japanese positions were assaulted and overcome. Wai was killed leading an assault against the last Japanese pillbox in the area. Wai's remains were permanently interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (better known as the "Punchbowl") and a military funeral was conducted for him on September 8, 1949 in Honolulu, Hawaii.


Medal of Honor

In 1944, Colonel
Aubrey Newman Aubrey Strode "Red" Newman (1903–1994) was a United States Army major general with 34 years of service. During World War II, Newman commanded the 34th Infantry Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division during the Philippines Campaign. His cry ...
, the 34th Infantry commander, recommended Wai for a posthumous Medal of Honor for his actions on Leyte. Wai was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross; Newman was also awarded a DSC for his actions on October 20, 1944. In 1996, amid allegations of prejudicial treatment of Asian Americans in uniform in World War II, Congress directed
Louis Caldera Louis Edward Caldera (born April 1, 1956) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the director of the White House Military Office from January to May 2009, as the 17th United States Secretary of the Army from Jul ...
, then
Secretary of the Army The secretary of the Army (SA or SECARMY) is a senior civilian official within the United States Department of Defense, with statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Army: manpower, personnel, reserve affairs, insta ...
, to conduct a full review of military records. The review concluded that 22 Asian Americans, including Wai, did not receive full consideration for the Medal of Honor. In 2000, Wai's Distinguished Service Cross was upgraded to the Medal of Honor by the US Army. On June 21, 2000, President Bill Clinton during a ceremony at the White House, presented the Medal of Honor to each of the 22 Asian Americans whose Distinguished Service Crosses were upgraded to the Medal of Honor.C-Span, Pacific Americans Awarded Concressional Medal of Honor, June 21, 2000
/ref> President Clinton presented Wai's MOH to his brother, Robert Wai Sr., during the ceremony.Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Stories of Sacrifice, Francis B. Wai
/ref> Of those whose military decorations for valor were upgraded, Wai was one of only two who did not belong to the predominantly
Japanese American are Americans of Japanese ancestry. Japanese Americans were among the three largest Asian American ethnic communities during the 20th century; but, according to the 2000 census, they have declined in number to constitute the sixth largest Asi ...
442nd Regimental Combat Team The 442nd Infantry Regiment ( ja, 第442歩兵連隊) was an infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment is best known as the most decorated in U.S. military history and as a fighting unit composed almost entirely of second-gene ...
/
100th Infantry Battalion The 100th Infantry Battalion ( ja, 第100歩兵大隊, ''Dai Hyaku Hohei Daitai'') is the only infantry unit in the United States Army Reserve. In World War II, the then-primarily Nisei battalion was composed largely of former members of the Haw ...
; the other being
Rudolph B. Davila Rudolph B. Davila (April 27, 1916 – January 26, 2002), born in El Paso, Texas, was a United States Army officer, of Spanish-Filipino descent, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in Italy during World War II. He was the only person o ...
of the 7th Infantry Regiment.


Military awards

Captain Wai's military decorations and awards:


Medal of Honor citation


Details

Rank: Captain
Conflict/era: World War II
Unit/Command: Headquarters Company, 34th Infantry Regiment
Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
Medal of Honor Action Date: October 20, 1944
Medal of Honor Action Place: Red Beach, Leyte, Philippine Islands


Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Captain Francis B. Wai distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action, on 20 October 1944, in Leyte, Philippine Islands. Captain Wai landed at Red Beach, Leyte, in the face of accurate, concentrated enemy fire from gun positions advantageously located in a palm grove bounded by submerged rice paddies. Finding the first four waves of American soldiers leaderless, disorganized, and pinned down on the open beach, he immediately assumed command. Issuing clear and concise orders, and disregarding heavy enemy machine gun and rifle fire, he began to move inland through the rice paddies without cover. The men, inspired by his cool demeanor and heroic example, rose from their positions and followed him. During the advance, Captain Wai repeatedly determined the locations of enemy strong points by deliberately exposing himself to draw their fire. In leading an assault upon the last remaining Japanese pillbox in the area, he was killed by its occupants. Captain Wai's courageous, aggressive leadership inspired the men, even after his death, to advance and destroy the enemy. His intrepid and determined efforts were largely responsible for the rapidity with which the initial beachhead was secured. Captain Wai's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.


Other honors

Wai was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame on October 11, 2014.


See also

*
List of Medal of Honor recipients The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their ...
*
List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II This is a list of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II. The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recip ...
*
List of Chinese Americans This is a list of notable Chinese Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants who have made exceptional contributions to various facets of American society. To be included in t ...
* Chinese-American service in World War II


Footnotes


References

;Inline ;General * * * * *


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wai, Francis B. 1917 births 1944 deaths United States Army personnel killed in World War II United States Army Medal of Honor recipients United States Army officers American military personnel of Chinese descent American military personnel of Native Hawaiian descent Punahou School alumni University of California, Los Angeles alumni Native Hawaiian people People from Honolulu Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) World War II recipients of the Medal of Honor Hawaii people of Chinese descent Burials in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific