Willibald C. Bianchi

On 3 February 1942 near Bagac in Bataan Province, Philippine Islands, First Lieutenant U.S. Army Willibald C. Bianchi of the 45th Infantry Philippine Scouts displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy. When the rifle platoon of another company was ordered to wipe out two enemy machine gun nests, he voluntarily advanced with the platoon and led part of the men. Wounded early in the action by two bullets through the left hand, he refused aid, discarded his rifle, and began firing a pistol. He located a machine gun nest and personally silenced it with grenades. After being wounded a second time by two machine gun bullets through the chest muscles, he climbed onto an American tank, manned its antiaircraft gun, and fired into a strongly held enemy position until a third severe wound knocked him completely off the tank.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota · United States