Francis Brown Wai ★ World War II Gold Star Veteran from Hawaii
On October 20, 1944 Captain Wai was declared a casualty of World War II. ★ He served with honor in the United States Army. ★ He is remembered by the people of Hawaii. ★ May his positive example inspire us. Working together towards peace, mutual respect, and equality for all.
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Our displayed data concerning the life and military history of Francis Brown Wai is a work in progress. We've assembled a list of elements we are in the process of researching and reviewing. This profile was last edited on 2015-09-16 10:59:17.
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Missing : Supplemental Data
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Service Details
| This Profile ID | 323358 |
| Name | Francis Brown Wai |
| From | Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii |
| Birth Date | April 14, 1917 |
| Casualty Date | October 20, 1944 |
| War | World War II |
| Service Branch | Army |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit/Group | 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division |
| Casualty Type | Killed in action |
| Location | Leyte, Philippines |
| Burial | National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii |
| Notable Awards |
★ Medal of Honor
★ Distinguished Service Cross
★ Purple Heart |
| Remembered | 
Francis Brown Wai is buried or memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location. |
Additional Details
Wai was the child of a Native Hawaiian mother and a Chinese father. He attended the Punahou School in Honolulu where he earned athletic letters in track, football and baseball. He went to college at the Sacramento Junior College before transferring to UCLA.After his graduation, Wai enlisted in the Hawaii National Guard and was called into active duty before the United States' entrance into World War II. He received a commission as an officer and completed Officer Candidate School in 1941. His commission was rare at a time when few Asian Americans were allowed to serve in combat leadership roles. He was eventually assigned to the 34th Infantry Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division with the rank of Captain. Wai was assigned to X Corps of the Sixth United States Army in preparation for the invasion of the Philippines. On October 20, 1944, his division was paired with the 1st Cavalry Division within X Corps, and the two divisions made an assault landing at Leyte. When Wai arrived on the beach in the fifth wave, he found the soldiers there to be leaderless, disorganized, and pinned down on the open beach. Assuming command, 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. For his actions during the landing on Leyte, Wai was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. In 2000, Wai's Distinguished Service Cross was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. |
Commendations + Awards
Please note this might not be a complete or completely accurate accounting. For some awards we use probability factors based on known service details. Thanks for your understanding.
★ Medal of Honor
★ World War II Victory Medal
★ Distinguished Service Cross
★ Combat Infantryman Badge
★ Purple Heart
★ American Campaign Medal
★ Army Presidential Unit Citation
★ Army Good Conduct Medal
★ Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Hawaii Gold Star Veterans Gallery
Honoring the men and women of Hawaii who gave their all for their country. May their example of courage and sacrifice be our guide. To be strong and responsible in our lives as citizens of the world. Through honest daily actions, we honor them.
▶ Hawaii was home to over 827 American Gold Star veterans from 4 wars of the 20th Century. Some significant statistics:
• 147 World War II
• 403 Korean War
• 277 Vietnam War
• 23 Prisoners of war
• 149 Missing in action
• 17 Pearl Harbor casualties
• 3 D-Day Normandy casualties
• 9 Medal of Honor recipients
• 403 Korean War
• 277 Vietnam War
• 23 Prisoners of war
• 149 Missing in action
• 17 Pearl Harbor casualties
• 3 D-Day Normandy casualties
• 9 Medal of Honor recipients
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USS Midway Museum 75th Pearl Harbor Wall of Honor
Located at the harbor in downtown San Diego, California at Navy Pier. The USS Midway is a living, floating museum, housing an extensive collection of aircraft, many of which were built in Southern California. USS Midway saw active duty from 1945 to 1992. Approximately 200,000 sailors proudly served onboard. In 2016 the USS Midway hosted one of the premier events honoring the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Among the featured memorials was a Wall of Honor with over 1000 images of the fallen. Researched by the Honor States Group.
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