Mónica Janette Santa María Smith (6 December 1972 – 13 March 1994) was a Peruvian model and TV hostess. Born in Lima, she was one half of the original Nubeluz hostesses, a popular Peruvian children's TV show during the 1990s first lustrum. Her shocking suicide in early 1994 would affect the Nubeluz reputation, leading to the show cancellation in 1996.
Francis Brown Wai (April 14, 1917 – October 20, 1944) was a United States Army captain who was killed in action during the U.S. amphibious assault and liberation of the Philippine Islands from Japan in 1944, during World War II. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for extraordinary heroism in action on Leyte.As a youngster, 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 initially planned to work with his father, he joined the Hawaii National Guard in 1940, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1941.
Wai was initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), the United States' second highest decoration for valor in combat. After an extensive review of military awards in 2000, his DSC was upgraded to the Medal of Honor (MOH).
Wai is the only Chinese American soldier to ever receive the Medal of Honor.
Joseph Kahahawai Jr. (25 December 1909 – 8 January 1932) was a Native Hawaiian prizefighter accused of the rape of Thalia Massie. He was abducted and killed after an inconclusive court case ended with a hung jury mistrial.
Wah Kau Kong (Chinese: 江華九; January 17, 1919 – February 22, 1944) was the first Chinese American fighter pilot. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Kong became a chemist after graduating from the University of Hawaii and joined the United States Army Air Forces after the Attack on Pearl Harbor.
After completing flight school, Kong became a P-51 Mustang fighter pilot in England. He claimed 1.5 victories before being killed in action on a mission over Germany in late February 1944. In 1994, he was posthumously honored in the congressional record by Hawaiian Senator Daniel Akaka, who shared his story on the Senate floor.
Jimmie Watters Monteith Jr. (July 1, 1917 – June 6, 1944) was a United States Army officer who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in World War II at the D-Day landings in Normandy, France.
Robert Charles Francis (February 26, 1930 – July 31, 1955) was an American actor. He appeared in only four Hollywood films, all with military themes, before he was killed at age 25 in the crash of a small airplane he was piloting.
James Emerson Delaney (August 12, 1924 – June 25, 1947), known professionally as Jimmy Doyle, was a welterweight boxer who died later in the hospital after a boxing match with Sugar Ray Robinson.
Joe Gandara (April 25, 1924 – June 9, 1944) was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and recipient of the Medal of Honor.Gandara was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in a March 18, 2014 ceremony in the White House. The award came through the Defense Authorization Act which called for a review of Jewish American and Hispanic American veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to ensure that no prejudice was shown to those deserving the Medal of Honor.
