A plane carrying Bianchi’s casket arrived in Omaha, Nebraska early Friday. From Omaha, Bianchi was then transported to Dallas, Texas and then to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) Airport where Bianchi’s family gathered along with escort units that would travel with the remains on the final leg to New Ulm.

Bianchi’s escort home to New Ulm included members of the New Ulm Police, the 1st Battalion – 125th Field Artillery Regiment of the Minnesota Army National Guard, American Legion, Legion Riders, Brown County Veteran’s Services, Minnesota State Patrol, and the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.

The vehicle escort traveled through Norwood-Young America, Green Isle, Arlington, Gaylord, Winthrop before finally reaching New Ulm. All along the route members of the public turned out to pay respects to Bianchi on his final journey home.

In New Ulm, the escort first traveled to the Seifert-Bianchi American Legion Post 132, pausing for military honors before concluding at Minnesota Valley Funeral Home.

The American Airlines plane carrying Capt. Willibald Bianchi's remains arrives at MSP Airport. Photo by Fritz Busch

Bianchi was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery and valor above and beyond the call of duty for his heroic actions in Bataan, Philippine Islands where he had significant wounds.

He returned to the battlefield after a month recovery, but was captured by Japanese forces. Bianchi was forced to participate in the infamous 65-mile Bataan Death March. Despite suffering from hunger, dehydration, heat and disease, Bianchi was repeatedly seen helping fellow prisoners, encouraging them and preventing many from being killed by their captors. Many fellow prisoners later wrote his mother, crediting Bianchi with saving their lives.

Bianchi died Jan. 9, 1945, aboard a Japanese POW ship when an American aircraft, unaware there were prisoners of war aboard, dropped a bomb on the ship. His remains were not recovered at that time. For decades, Bianchi was buried as an unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. He was memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Through forensic science and DNA analysis, Bianchi’s remains were positively identified Aug. 11, 2025, finally allowing him to return home.

A formal visitation and funeral will be held for Bianchi next weekend. The visitation for Bianchi will be from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Saturday, May 2 at the New Ulm National Guard Readiness Center. Services with full military honors begin at noon in the Soldiers Rest Section of New Ulm City Cemetery. Services include a 21-gun salute, New Ulm Battery cannon firing and a flyover.

Capt. Bianchi's casket was transferred to hearse for the final journey home to New Ulm, which included an escort from New Ulm Police, the 1st Battalion – 125th Field Artillery Regiment of the Minnesota Army National Guard, American Legion, Legion Riders, Brown County Veteran’s Services, Minnesota State Patrol, and the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.

The Brown County Historical Society (BCHS) will open a new exhibit, “Willibald Bianchi: Beyond the Call of Duty,” 5-7 p.m. Friday, May 1 and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 2. The exhibit honors the life of Bianchi.

Journal file photo Captain Willibald "Bill" Charles Bianchi.

A headstone for Willibald Bianchi has been place in the Solider’s Rest section of the New Ulm Cemetery ahead of his formal burial on Saturday, May 2. Photo by Clay Schuldt