Submitted photo by Brown County Historical Society The Brown County Historical Society sent Medals awarded to Lt. Willibald Bianchi to the Dominican College in Orangeburg, New York, for a commemoration event honoring the 80th anniversary of the Bataan Death March. Medals awarded to Bianchi include Service in World War II, Service in the Asiatic Pacific Campaign, Foreign Service, Purple Heart and Medal of Honor (blue ribbon).

NEW ULM — Medals honoring the service of Lt. Willibald Bianchi, including his Medal of Honor are on loan to the Dominican College in New York this spring in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Bataan Death March.

The Dominican College of Orangeburg, New York is hosting a commemoration of the anniversary of the Bataan Death March, Saturday, April 9. The event is being sponsored by the Philippine-American Cultural Foundation in partnership with Dominican College.

Bianchi was a New Ulm native and one of the prisoners of war forced to take part in the march after his capture by Japanese forces on April 9, 1942.

Two months before Bianchi was captured, he was recommended for the Medal of Honor for actions taken beyond the call of duty on Feb. 3, 1942, at Bagac, Province of Bataan, Philippines.

On his initiative, Bianchi advanced on two enemy machine-gun nests. He was wounded twice by bullets but continued to advance personally destroying one next with grenades. He was shot two more times in the chest before climbing on an American tank to man an antiaircraft machine gun and fired into the enemy position until he was knocked off the tank by a third wound.

Bianchi survived and would recover from his injuries, but a few months later he was captured by the Japanese. He and other prisoners of war were marched to a camp. Many did not survive the forced march. The incident became known as the Bataan Death March.

Bianchi survived the march and would remain a prisoner of war. Accounts of his time in prison camps state Bianchi showed great compassion for his fellow POWs and work to make sure food and medicine were divided fairly among the captured men.

Bianchi was killed in January 1945. He was lost at sea after the Japanese prisoner ship he was aboard was sunk.

Bianchi was never able to formally receive his Medal of Honor, but it was given to his family. They eventually donated the medal to the Brown County Historical Society.

Brown County Historical Society Collections Curator Ryan Harren said it is a significant honor to have a Medal of Honor in its collection. It is considered the highest and most prestigious military decoration that can be awarded to Americans in service to their country. Only 3,500 Medals of Honor have been awarded since its creation in 1863. Only 472 Medals of Honor were awarded to World War II veterans.

Bianchi’s medals will be on a temporary loan to Dominican College for commemoration event and will remain on display there through the spring alongside three other Medal of Honors belonging to other Philippine scouts who were with Bianchi on the march.

Harren said once the medal is returned to BCHS, it will be put on display at the museum for all to see.