If you knew or served with this Soldier and have additional information or photos to support this Page,
please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s)
HERE
This Remembrance Profile was originally created by SSG Clentis Turnbow - Deceased
Casualty Info
Home Town New Ulm
Last Address New Ulm, MN
Casualty Date Jan 09, 1945
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Other Explosive Device
Location Taiwan
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (VA) - Honolulu, Hawaii
On 11 August 2025, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified and accounted for CPT Bianchi's remains. Additional information is pending. On 9 January 1945, the hellship Enoura Maru was anchored in Takao (Kaohsiung) Harbour, Taiwan. It was part of a convoy of ships that had left the Philippines on December 27th 1944 carrying mostly American POWs bound for Japan. 1,070 men had been crammed into the second hold of the Enoura Maru, and a further 236 men were on another ship, the Brazil Maru. On January 6th the men from the Brazil Maru were transferred to the Enoura Maru and about 470 men were moved from the second hold up to the first hold of that ship. Then in the early morning of the 9th, just as the men were consuming their meagre breakfast ration of rice, American aircraft from the USS Hornet launched an attack on Takao Harbour and bombed and strafed many of the ships. Several bombs fell on the Enoura Maru and one exploded near the edge of the first hold killing and wounding more than 300 of the POWs. The ship did not sink and the remains of the dead POWs were removed and buried in a mass grave nearby. In 1946 they were exhumed, and after a time of storage in Shanghai China, later sent to Hawaii and re-buried in 20 communal graves at the Punchbowl Cemetery and marked as 'Unknowns'.
Comments/Citation:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Willibald Charles Bianchi (ASN: 0-389009), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy on 3 February 1942, near Bagac, Province of Bataan, Philippine Islands, while serving with the 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts. When the rifle platoon of another company was ordered to wipe out two strong enemy machinegun nests, First Lieutenant Bianchi voluntarily and of his own initiative, advanced with the platoon leading part of the men. When wounded early in the action by two bullets through the left hand, he did not stop for first aid but discarded his rifle and began firing a pistol. He located a machinegun nest and personally silenced it with grenades. When wounded the second time by two machinegun bullets through the chest muscles, First Lieutenant Bianchi climbed to the top of an American tank, manned its anti-aircraft machinegun, and fired into strongly held enemy position until knocked completely off the tank by a third severe wound.
War Department, General Orders No. 11 (March 5, 1942)
Interment Address:
2177 Puowaina Drive
Honolulu, HI 96813
Global Positioning System Coordinates: 21.31186, -157.84520
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Willibald Charles Bianchi (ASN: 0-389009), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy on 3 February 1942, near Bagac, Province of Bataan, Philippine Islands, while serving with the 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts. When the rifle platoon of another company was ordered to wipe out two strong enemy machinegun nests, First Lieutenant Bianchi voluntarily and of his own initiative, advanced with the platoon leading part of the men. When wounded early in the action by two bullets through the left hand, he did not stop for first aid but discarded his rifle and began firing a pistol. He located a machinegun nest and personally silenced it with grenades. When wounded the second time by two machinegun bullets through the chest muscles, First Lieutenant Bianchi climbed to the top of an American tank, manned its anti-aircraft machinegun, and fired into strongly held enemy position until knocked completely off the tank by a third severe wound.