Among the thousands of Americans who risked their lives during World War II, only a few were ever awarded the most prestigious U.S. military award, the National Medal of Honor. This symbol recognized extraordinary courage in battle, such as the actions of Lieutenant Willibald C. Bianchi of the Philippine Scouts during the worldwide conflict. During the Bataan Campaign in 1942, Bianchi “personally silenced a Japanese machine gun nest” and later, he “climbed atop an American tank and manned its anti-aircraft gun” even though Bianchi “was wounded three times.” Despite Bianchi’s future successes, his early life did not seem to prophesy his military career. He was born in New Ulm, Minnesota in 1915 and raised on a poultry farm, where responsibility was soon imposed upon him after his father died when Bianchi was still in high school. Bianchi was named after his maternal grandfather, Willibald Eibner, a Catholic German immigrant who became successful “by perseverance, economy and good management.” His father’s family was of Italian descent, meaning that Bianchi was excluded from the most privileged group of white Americans at the time, Anglo-Saxon protestants. Furthermore, sentiments against immigrants from Italy and Germany were rising due to the two countries being Axis powers. Ultimately, however, Bianchi’s heroic efforts, despite his humble beginnings and untimely ending, were essential to struggling American efforts in the Philippines; by nearly sacrificing everything to aid his regiment, Willibald Bianchi proved the power of patriotism during a global crisis. Willibald Bianchi’s finest hour would come while fighting in the Philippines to defend the country he loved. Assigned to the Forty Fifth Infantry with the Philippine Scouts to fight in Bagac during General MacArthur’s Bataan Campaign, he singlehandedly defeated a group of Japanese gunmen and “poured bullets into a strongly held enemy position” even after they fired “two machine gun bullets into his chest.” His essential contribution led to contemporary newspapers deeming his counterattack “the largest and most successful” of the campaign because of “captured Japanese documents.” Bianchi later survived the Bataan Death March before dying in 1945 as a prisoner-of-war and being buried in the National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific, with his Medal of Honor conferred posthumously. In the end, however, Lieutenant Willibald C. Bianchi demonstrated that heroism can come from anywhere; even if he lost his father, even if he faced anti-immigrant sentiments, Bianchi still fought for the country he believed in, and ultimately, his valor lives on through his Medal of Honor and his story.

*The preceding content is not intended as a comprehensive biography, but it highlights their significance as a result of military or civilian distinction, lasting achievements, or association with impactful national events.

CPT Bianchi served with the 45th Inf. as one of the Philippine Scouts near Bagac, Bataan Province, Philippine Islands. On February 3, 1942, Bianchi volunteered to destroy two machinegun emplacements. Despite being wounded early, Bianchi continued on personally silencing the first nest. Wounded again, Bianchi manned a disabled tank's antiaircraft gun in an effort to destroy the second machinegun. For his bravery, Bianchi received the Medal of Honor.

*The preceding content is not intended as a comprehensive biography, but it highlights their significance as a result of military or civilian distinction, lasting achievements, or association with impactful national events.

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

Grave marker image for (WILLIBALD BIANCHI).

WILLIBALD C BIANCHI

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