NYC’s first Chinese American landmark reveals a brutal Pacific War sacrifice

Lieutenant Kimlau’s Fatal B-24 Mission Over Los Negros

Lieutenant Benjamin Ralph Kimlau flew 45 combat missions before that fateful day in March 1944.

The Chinese American pilot from New York City had joined the 380th Bombardment Group after graduating with honors from military college.

On March 5, despite exhausted crews and planes badly needing repairs, Kimlau got urgent orders. American ground troops on Los Negros Island faced heavy Japanese attacks.

Without hesitation, he took his B-24 bomber into battle. Japanese forces shot down his plane, killing Kimlau and his entire crew.

Today, a striking granite arch in Manhattan’s Chinatown stands as New York’s first landmark honoring Chinese American military sacrifice.

From Massachusetts to Chinatown: The Early Years of Benjamin Kimlau

Ben Ralph Kimlau was born April 10, 1918, in Concord, Massachusetts to Chinese immigrant parents. His dad worked as a chemist while his mom from San Francisco worked as an interpreter.

When Ben turned 14, he moved to New York City in 1932 and went to DeWitt Clinton High School. After finishing school in 1937, he took his first trip to China where he saw Japanese attacks firsthand.

This trip lit a fire in young Ben that later drove him to fight against Japanese forces in the Pacific.

Military College Shaped His Leadership Path

Ben started at Pennsylvania Military College in 1938, where he studied and trained for four years. He graduated with top marks in 1942, standing out as the only Chinese American in his class.

The U. S. Army Field Artillery made him a Second Lieutenant right after graduation, though he faced plenty of racism along the way. Ben didn’t stay in artillery for long.

He soon asked to join the U. S. Army Air Forces, wanting to serve his country as a bomber pilot.

The Flying Circus Welcomed Him to Their Ranks

After finishing pilot training, the military sent Kimlau to the 530th Bombardment Squadron, part of the 380th Bombardment Group in the Fifth Air Force.

His unit got nicknames like “The Flying Circus” and “King of the Heavies” for their bold missions. The group had already lost many good men while helping General MacArthur push forward in the Bismarck Bay area.

They flew from Fenton Airfield in northern Australia, using huge B-24 Liberator bombers for combat.

Forty-Five Combat Missions Tested His Courage

Kimlau flew 45 combat missions in his B-24 Liberator during the New Guinea campaign. His bombing group covered the biggest target area of any war zone then, spanning over one million square miles.

They took on some of WWII’s longest bombing runs, hitting oil plants at Balikpapan, Borneo and Surabaja, Java.

These attacks helped cut off Japanese supplies and set the stage for American troops to return to the Philippines.

Urgent Orders Pulled Him Into a Critical Mission

On February 27, 1944, a message called for 24 Liberators with full crews and ground staff to head to Port Moresby, New Guinea. Their job: bomb the Japanese airfield at Hollandia day and night without stopping.

The military picked Kimlau as one of the pilots for this urgent mission to support the coming invasion of the Admiralty Islands.

This task was part of Operation Brewer, aimed at taking Los Negros and cutting off the main Japanese base at Rabaul.

Bad Weather Forced Pilots to a Primitive Airstrip

Storms forced Kimlau and other pilots to change course to Nadzab while their ground crews stayed at Port Moresby. Nadzab was a small, remote airfield tucked in the Markham Valley on New Guinea’s North Shore.

The base barely worked with minimal staff and gear, housing just a few fighter planes.

Pilots risked their lives with every takeoff and landing, following tricky flight paths in the dark to avoid crashing into the hills around them.

Cavalry Troops Landed Into Heavy Japanese Fire

The First Cavalry Division landed on Los Negros Island on February 29, 1944, in what they called a “look-see with force.” Instead of finding an empty island as air photos suggested, they faced 4,300 Japanese troops led by Colonel Yoshio Ezaki.

American soldiers quickly grabbed Momote airfield despite being outnumbered and set up a weak beachhead. That night, Japanese forces attacked hard, with some enemy troops breaking through American lines.

Bombers Pounded Japanese Positions for Four Straight Days

Kimlau and his fellow pilots hit Japanese airfields around New Guinea for four days without rest.

They targeted bases at Hansa, Nubia, Hollandia, Wewak and other key spots to protect the First Cavalry Division’s landing zone. Crews worked in rough conditions with few supplies and repairs at Nadzab.

Their mission focused on knocking out Japanese airfields to stop enemy backup from reaching the fighters on Los Negros.

Desperate Orders Sent Exhausted Crews Back to Battle

On March 5, 1944, commanders told pilots to attack Japanese rear positions at Los Negros even though neither men nor planes were ready for another mission.

Crews were worn out from constant action, and their planes badly needed fixes. The First Cavalry Division faced wave after wave of Japanese attacks on their beachhead.

This crisis needed an immediate bombing run to provide air support for American ground troops fighting below.

His Final Flight Saved American Lives on the Ground

During the attack on Japanese positions that day, enemy forces shot down Kimlau’s B-24 Liberator bomber.

Lieutenant Benjamin Ralph Kimlau and his entire crew died in action while trying to save American soldiers fighting below. He was just 26 years old when he gave his life.

For their amazing bravery and work in battle, the 380th Bombardment Group earned two Presidential Unit Citations.

Chinatown Memorial Stands as His Lasting Legacy

The military posthumously awarded Kimlau the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his heroism.

After being temporarily buried in the South Pacific, workers moved his remains to Arlington National Cemetery on July 1, 1948, with full military honors.

American Legion Post 1291 built the Kimlau War Memorial arch in Manhattan’s Chinatown in 1962, designed by architect Poy G. Lee.

This memorial made history in June 2021 when it became New York City’s first landmark specifically recognizing Chinese American contributions to our nation.

Visiting Kimlau War Memorial, Chinatown

The Kimlau War Memorial honors Chinese American bomber pilot Lieutenant Benjamin Ralph Kimlau, who died in 1944 during a mission over Los Negros Island.

You’ll find this free memorial at Chatham Square where Oliver Street meets East Broadway in Manhattan’s Chinatown.

It’s open 24 hours as a public park and became NYC’s first landmark recognizing Chinese American history in 2021. Visit in early November for the annual Veterans Day ceremony and parade.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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