Motorcade for New Ulm WWII POW to come through Winthrop on Friday

A motorcade carrying the remains of Captain Willibald “Bill’ Charles Bianchi, who was killed in World War II, will make its way through Winthrop on Friday, April 24, with a time to be determined.
The Congressional Medal of Honor recipient will be celebrated during a visitation at the New Ulm National Guard-Readiness Center in New Ulm on Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m.-11:45 a.m. At noon a gravesite service and full military honors will be conducted in the Soldiers Rest Section of the New Ulm City Cemetery.
Bianchi was born on March 12, 1915, in New Ulm, the son of Joseph and Caroline Bianchi.
Bill helped his father with. the choses on a 73-acre chicken-turkey farm just south of New Ulm. His father was killed in a farm accident while Bill was in high school and, as a result, he left school to help at home. While attending the University of Minnesota Farm School, he earned his high school degree. In 1940, Bianchi graduated from South Dakota State University in Brookings with a major in animal science. To help pay for college, be joined the ROTC program where he attained the rank of cadet major.
Upon graduation, Bill was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and requested foreign service duty and in April, 1941, was assigned to the 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Souts in the Philippines. His primary duty was to train Filipino solders to be jungle fighters.
When the Japanese landed and advanced toward Manila, American and Filipino soldiers were forced into a fighting retreat onto the Bataan Peninsula where they lacked adequate equipment, armor and aircraft.

For the entire story, check out the April 22 issue of the Winthrop News.