50 Story Salute
For the 50th anniversary of Memorial Day, Ancestry wanted to pay tribute to 50 fallen soldiers.
So we gave a virtual salute to these fallen soldiers by using our platform to share and tell their stories.
The Video Salute
We asked people to share stories about the loved ones they lost on the battlefield.
It was tough listening to everyone share their pain, but it was a good reminder for me to
appreciate what we do have, and not to take our time here for granted.
A Salute to Francis B. Wai
Wai was an anomaly and made the rank of Captain as a Chinese American during WWII. This was unheard of, and it happened during a time in America when the Chinese Exclusion Act was still in effect, Japanese Americans were being rounded up and placed in concentration camps, blatant anti-Asian propaganda was running rampant, etc. Wai ended up sacrificing his life for his troops and was recommended for the Medal of Honor by his infantry commander back in 1944, but because of prejudicial treatment towards Asians back then, his efforts weren't recognized by the country he gave his life for until the year 2000 - 56 years after his death.