WWII Veteran Marine’s Wake Island valor properly recognized

Family, supporters seek to have Marine’s Wake Island valor properly recognized
Sixty years after his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, Ralph Holewinski still has his military mindset. The military has reasons for awarding him a Bronze Star instead of the Navy Cross, he says, and it’s not his place to challenge those in charge.

"Ralph’s humble — too humble," said his younger brother, Ernie Holewinski. "He says, ‘Whatever [medal] anyone got on Wake Island, justly or unjustly, got what they deserved.’"

But everyone knows what Holewinski did. He’s in all of the books. What he did was legendary.

But valor alone hasn’t garnered Holewinski the honor that legislators, litigators, historians, Wake Island veterans and family members say he deserves. While the 87-year-old’s World War II combat experience is long over, the fight for higher recognition is ongoing for those who know him.

Holewinski’s supporters are global and diverse — from Eric Holewinski, Ralph’s nephew and a Navy chief petty officer in Misawa, Japan, to Gregory Urwin, a Temple University history professor in Pennsylvania.

"I remain determined to lend all the aid in my power to see that Ralph receives proper honors from the service that counts his deeds among the proudest moments in its history," Urwin said in an e-mail to Stars and Stripes. "Every Nov. 10, Marines name Wake Island as one of their most cherished battle honors. This man did more than most of his fellow Marines to make that possible. The Corps and the Navy Department should connect the dots and rectify this long-standing wrong."

Although Holewinski was always "very modest" about what he did, Eric Holewinski read of his uncle’s valor in the history books.
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