Francis B. Wai

Francis Brown Wai (April 14, 1917 – October 20, 1944) was a United States Army captain who was killed in action during the U.S. amphibious assault and liberation of the Philippine Islands from Japan in 1944, during World War II. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for extraordinary heroism in action at 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 as a second lieutenant in 1941.

Wai was initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (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 soldier to ever receive the Medal of Honor. Growing up, he often surfed with Duke Kahanamoku, At UCLA, he was a four-sport athlete, including playing for the Bruins football team alongside his brothers Robert and Conkling Wai. He intended to work alongside his father in real estate and banking but instead joined the military upon America's entry into World War II. With training completed, the division moved to Goodenough Island on January 31, 1944, to prepare for Operation Reckless, the amphibious invasion of Hollandia, Netherlands New Guinea (now Jayapura, 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.

Medal of Honor In 1944, Colonel Aubrey Newman, the 34th Infantry commander, recommended Wai for a posthumous Medal of Honor for his actions on Leyte.

In 1996, amid allegations of prejudicial treatment of Asian Americans in uniform in World War II, 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. President Clinton presented Wai's MOH to his brother, Robert Wai Sr., during the ceremony.

Of those whose military decorations for valor were upgraded, Wai was one of only two who did not belong to the predominantly Japanese American 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team; the other being Rudolph B. Davila of the 7th Infantry Regiment.

Military awards

Captain Wai's military decorations and awards:

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

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

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