A military mystery: Did Acton-born war hero get his honors?

The Purple Heart and Bronze Star appear on Acton-born Lt. Benjamin Ralph Kimlau’s cemetery records and on banners at an American Legion post that bears his name. Yet there’s no official proof he ever received them.

If you’re confused, you’re not alone. There are conflicting claims at play, as well as military semantics — and the fact that a 1973 fire destroyed essential records.

Last year, Lt. Col. Geoffrey Love, director of historical services for the Massachusetts National Guard and the curator of the National Guard Museum in Acton, gave a talk about Kimlau at the Acton Free Public Library. The Acton Bridge cited his talk in a May 2024 piece on Kimlau’s service and legacy that marked Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

In his research, Love discovered Kimlau’s interment card from Arlington National Cemetery, which includes a handwritten note on the back: “Purple Heart / Bronze Star Medal / Good Conduct Medal.” 

Some months later, retired Maj. Gen. William Chen, who has been part of the Chinese American WWII Veterans Recognition Project since 2017, began looking into these awards.

He couldn’t find proof anywhere online despite the claims made. That was when Chen “embarked on this search for ground truth,” he said, contacting the Air Force and National Archives.

That sets up the mystery: Did Kimlau receive the honors, and if he didn’t, should he have?

Missions from Australia 

The Acton-born World War II bomber pilot attended Pennsylvania Military College and served in the 530th Combat Crew Training Squadron, which was assigned to the 380th Bombardment Group of the Fifth Air Force. The squad was known as the “Flying Circus.” 

Kimlau was stationed at Fenton Airfield in Australia and flew 45 missions. He and his crew died March 5, 1944, when their plane — which was desperately in need of servicing — crashed shortly after takeoff. 

Kimlau was one of 20,000 veterans recognized by the Chinese-American World War II Veteran Congressional Gold Medal Act, a bill that Chen’s group lobbied Congress to pass. The group held ceremonies all over the country for the veterans’ families; one family member was Eileen Dong, Kimlau’s cousin, in California. 

When Chen started to investigate the medals, he asked Dong about them, but she had no recollection of Kimlau’s Purple Heart or Bronze Star. 

Chen knew the banners hanging at the American Legion post that bears Kimlau’s name claimed he had a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. So Chen asked there, too.

Wilem Wong, a vice commander for American Legion Lt. B.R. Kimlau Chinese Memorial Post 1291 in New York City, said he added the medals to banners after watching a recording of the talk that Love gave. 

“I just took it on the word of Lt. Col. Geoffrey Love when he mentioned it in a presentation,” Wong told The Acton Bridge in a phone interview. “We don’t have any additional information about his military awards besides that.”

An official military record would clear up any discrepancies, but there’s a problem: Kimlau’s records were lost in a July 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.

But the cemetery records — those prove it, right?

“The accuracy of those notes are questionable based on what I know and what I’ve seen,” Love told The Bridge.

Therefore, Love and Chen have worked to substantiate — one way or the other — whether Kimlau was awarded those medals. 

Defining ‘in action’ 

Despite the lack of official documents, there are clues. 

During World War II, Love said, the Purple Heart was authorized for those killed or wounded in action — and the “in action” part makes a difference.

Squadrons such as Kimlau’s faced pressure to keep up attacks on the enemy, but it was difficult to maintain the aircraft properly. The bomber group was headed to Los Negros Island, Papua New Guinea, that day. Poor maintenance led to Kimlau’s fatal crash. 

“He died because [his] aircraft crashed near the very takeoff airfield that he left from,” Chen said. There’s also a War Department air crew missing report that says the plane had engine problems and crashed shortly after takeoff, he said. “So you know all that is correct, that he died not based upon combat action, but because of aircraft problems.” 

However, Love said, the unit’s morning report — a daily document listing personnel changes — listed Kimlau’s crew as “killed in action” because they were taking off on a strike mission. 

“They were loaded with bombs,” Love said. “They were on their way. [When] did combat begin? The minute they climbed into the plane? I don’t know.” 

Although aviators can receive the Bronze Star, Chen said, that honor is usually related to some sort of ground action. 

“Most of the time, pilots, navigators, and air crew, if they’re in combat and they perform meritoriously, they would be eligible for the Air Medal,” Chen said. “They would be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. So to me, a Bronze Star medal for Lieutenant Kimlau is not appropriate.” 

What’s next?

Although Kimlau’s original service record was destroyed, Chen has asked the Air Force to search its additional databases. The Army told Chen they’ve “opened a case,” but thus far, there’s no definitive answer. 

An Air Force spokesperson did not respond to a Acton Bridge request for information.

“Are there other cases of combat air crew personnel who died not by enemy fire, receiving the Purple Heart?” Chen asked. “I think there probably could be instances of that, but you have to have the documentation.” 

Love continues to think of ways to verify the information without the records lost in the St. Louis blaze.

“I think that the only thing to do would be to consider requesting a relook at this crew, which were listed as killed in action, meaning the unit considered them to be in action, and they were in combat, if you will, and the circumstances [were] against them that morning,” he said. 

“They weren’t shot down by the Japanese — the circumstances of that combat mission led them to crash. In the Air Force, they know that it’s not just the enemy that can kill you in aerial combat,” Love said. “There’s mechanical malfunction, and it doesn’t take anything away from their heroism and their decision to get into that plane.” 

Asked whether the American Legion post will request the awards be given posthumously, Wong said he’d “speak to someone on the West Coast who has done this before” — Montgomery Hom of the Chinese American GI Project in California. “He has background in getting this type of award made to people after they passed.”

Wong says the post planned to correct any erroneous information they had displayed until there is proof, and said that if he doesn’t already have it, Kimlau deserves the Purple Heart. 

“Most people would have awarded him at least a Purple Heart for the crash,” Wong said. “Even in similar circumstances now, in Iraq or Afghanistan, they would have received at least one of those awards.”