OS1c Marciano Lomibao

Marciano Lomibao was born Oct. 24, 1901 in the Philippines.

It’s unclear exactly when he enlisted in the Navy, but his name appears on the passenger list of an Army transport that arrived in San Francisco on Aug. 15, 1921. He was identified as a mess attendant third class — an entry-level Navy job.

The 1930 Census said he was a mess attendant second class at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. He declared his intention to become a U.S. citizen in January 1937.

Mr. Lomibao was an officer’s steward and petty officer first class on the U.S.S. Arizona when he was killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941.

As a native of the Philippines, Mr. Lomibao was discriminated against by the Navy dating from the Wilson Administration. Sailors from Guam or the Philippines or who were Black could enlist in only one job in the years before the start of World War II: mess attendant. Messmen cooked, cleaned, and performed other services. They could advance to become a steward or cook for officers and up to petty officer first class as with Mr. Lomibao, but that was their limit.

Sources: Census; Navy muster roll; declaration of intention to become a U.S. citizen; Army transport passenger list. This profile was researched and written on behalf of the U.S.S. Arizona Mall Memorial at the University of Arizona.