Petty Officer Wann was honored for his actions on 7 August 1942 while assigned as a corpsman with the Marines in action during an engagement with Japanese forces on a causeway between Gavutu and Tanambogo Islands, Solomon Islands. Although the causeway was under direct fire from Japanese machine guns, Wann, with utter disregard for his own personal safety, volunteered to cross the area in order to render aid and return casualties to the aid station. Ignoring the enemy fire, he sprinted back and forth, carrying and rendering aid to wounded Marines. He remained attached to Marine units in the Guadalcanal campaign until he was killed in action on 4 November 1942. As a result of his exceptional courage he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.