World War II Honoree

Francis B. Wai

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Honolulu, Hawaii

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. HE DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF BY EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION ON OCTOBER 20, 1944 IN LEYTE, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HE 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 4 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, HE 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.