Francis B. Wai

**Francis Brown Wai** (April 14, 1917 – October 20, 1944) was a captain in the United States Army. He received the Medal of Honor for actions during the recapture of the Philippines from Japan in 1944.

When he was young 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 started planning to work with his father he joined the Hawaii National Guard. He was commissioned a lieutenant. Wai was sent with his unit to fight in World War II. He was killed during the U.S. amphibious assault on Leyte, Philippines.

He was initially presented the Distinguished Service Cross. It is the United States' second highest decoration for valor. After an extensive review of awards in 2000, his medal was upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
, Wai is the only Chinese American and the first Asian-American officer to receive the medal.

## Early life
Wai was the child of a Native Hawaiian mother and a Chinese father. Growing up, he often surfed with Duke Kahanamoku regarded as the father of surfing. He also surfed with Buster Crabbe who later became an actor. 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. At UCLA, he was a four sport athlete and graduated in 1939 with a bachelor's degree in Banking and Finance. He intended to work alongside his father in real estate and banking but instead joined the military upon the outbreak of World War II. His commission was rare at a time when few Asian-Americans were allowed to serve in combat leadership roles. With training completed, the division moved to Goodenough Island on January 31, 1944, to prepare for Operation Reckless. That was the name of the amphibious invasion of Hollandia, Netherlands New Guinea (now Jayapura, in the Papua province of Indonesia).

The 24th landed at Tanahmerah Bay on April 22, 1944. They seized the Hollandia Airdrome despite torrential rain and marshy terrain.

### Leyte
After occupying the Hollandia area, 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. The two divisions made an assault landing at Leyte. When Captain Wai landed at Red Beach, the Japanese forces stationed on the island focused their fire on the waves of incoming troops. The Japanese fired from gun positions in a palm grove in the middle of submerged rice paddies. 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. Without thinking of his own personal safety, he moved forward without cover to draw Japanese machine gun and rifle fire. This allowed him to identify 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 presented the Distinguished Service Cross. After the war, his remains were interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii. His grave is in section Q, grave 1194. At a White House ceremony June 20, 2000, President Bill Clinton presented the Medal of Honor to 22&nbsp;Asian Americans whose Distinguished Service Crosses were upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

## Related pages
* List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II

## Footnotes
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