Idaho Honors WWII Wake Island Civilians

Last year I participated in a legislative process in Oregon to pass a resolution honoring the WWII Wake Island men from the state, including 31 who died in the war and 103 survivors: State of Oregon Honors Wake Island Civilians. I am proud of that effort, the support of Oregon Representative Rick Lewis and cosponsors of the legislation, and the heartwarming, unanimous yea votes in the Oregon House and Senate.

Knowing there was similar interest in the neighboring state of Idaho (the home state of Morrison-Knudsen Co, the contractor that led the Wake job), Rep. Lewis contacted a colleague who drafted a similar resolution with Idaho numbers. My records showed that of 225 Idahoans, 32 died in the war and 193 survived, all of whom have since passed. Of the 32 who died, 5 were killed in action, 10 perished in the massacre of 98 on the island in 1943, and 17 died as prisoners of war. To recognize their sacrifice, the state of Idaho passed House Continuing Resolution 27 at the end of the 2026 session. I am proud of this second state honor and want to share the news with our extended Wake Family. Rep. Lewis sent me a link to the Idaho resolution: HCR027 final and here are the Idaho rosters: 32 Wake WWII dead and 193 ID Survivors
In the survivors’ roster an asterisk marks 130 men who received US Navy discharges and veterans’ benefits when they became eligible in 1981. (There is a new finding tool for veteran information in the BIRLS database.)

There doesn’t appear to be any provision for a new memorial to the Wake Islanders in Idaho. A Wake memorial designed by Noah Barnes in 2012 (the thumbnail photograph for this post) stands in Veterans Memorial Park in Boise, as well as the Wake Island flag donated by Barry Kelso and dedicated in that same year. For those Oregon families waiting on the proposed granite memorial on the Salem Capitol grounds, it is still pending approval.

We can be proud that these two states have honored our Wake Island men in the legislative process.