Ralph Cheli
Encyclopedia
Ralph Cheli was a major
in the United States Army Air Forces
and a recipient of the Medal of Honor
. He served as the commanding officer of the 405th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)
in the Fifth Air Force
's 38th Bombardment Group
, based at Durand Airfield
, Port Moresby
, New Guinea
.
On August 18, 1943, while leading his group of B-25 Mitchell
s on a low level attack of two Japanese airfields
, his bomber was severely damaged. Cheli pressed the attack despite the battle damage, then crash-landed his bomber at sea. He was made a prisoner-of-war and on March 6, 1944, was executed by his captors. During the period when his status was unknown, Cheli was nominated for the Medal of Honor, which he was awarded in October 1943.
as member of the class of 1941. In February 1940, during his junior year, he left Lehigh to enlist in the USAAF as an aviation cadet. He undertook primary flying training at Tulsa, Oklahoma
; basic flight training at Randolph Field, Texas
; and multi-engine advanced training at Kelly Field, Texas.
After commissioning as a second lieutenant in November, Cheli was assigned as a B-17 Flying Fortress co-pilot in the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron, operating from Miami, Florida
, under the 3rd Bombardment Wing
of General Headquarters Air Force. After attending the Chemical Warfare School at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland
, he rejoined the 21st RS at MacDill Field, Florida
, where it had been attached to the 29th Bomb Group
. When the United States entered World War II
, Cheli was promoted to 1st lieutenant in February 1942 and flew anti-submarine patrols in the Caribbean Sea
as a B-17 pilot with the 43rd Bomb Squadron (29th BG).
Cheli advanced to captain in June 1942 and was transferred to the 38th Bomb Group
at Barksdale Field, Louisiana
, where he was assigned as Operations Officer of the 405th Bomb Squadron "Green Dragons". In August Cheli led a flight of B-25s from Hamilton Field, California
, to Australia in the first air movement of B-25s to the Southwest Pacific war zone. Two months later, the 38th moved forward to Port Moresby, where Cheli was assigned command of the 405th BS after the death of its previous commander on January 5, 1943. He was promoted to major
in March.
On March 3, 1943, during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea
, Cheli led the 405th Bomb Squadron in the first daylight "masthead" (low level) attack against a Japanese shipping convoy, one of the first skip bombing
raids. In all he flew 39 combat missions and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross
and the Air Medal
.
. The immediate goal of the Fifth Air Force was the neutralization of Japanese airpower concentrated at Wewak, some 300 miles west of Lae. Wewak and its satellite fields at But, Boram, and Dagua, based more than 100 bombers and about 90 fighters. The 500+-mile flight to Wewak was the deepest penetration into Japanese-held territory yet made by medium bombers.
On the night of August 16, 50 heavy bombers
attacked the fields, followed on the morning of the 17th by 32 B-25s, escorted by 80 P-38 Lightnings. Both attacks encountered intense antiaircraft fire but little fighter opposition. Another attack on the airfields was dispatched on the morning of August 18 to strafe and drop the fields from low altitude. The 3rd Attack Group
was assigned to attack Wewak and Boram fields, while the 38th BG was sent further west to attack Dagua and But airdromes. Each bomber was loaded with 12 3-bomb clusters of 23-pound "para-frag" bombs, which the 405th BS would drop on Dagua and the 71st BS on But.
Cheli was assigned to lead the 38th BG, 30 B-25 Mitchells including stand-bys. Bad weather en route separated the force from its P-38 cover escort, and mechanical problems reduced each squadron by one Mitchell, leaving his 405th and the following 71st Squadrons to attack with 28 B-25s. His assigned aircraft that day was B-25D-1 (s/n 41-30117), a bomber field-modified into a strafer by enclosure of its plexiglass nose to mounting of four forward-firing machine guns, and a pair of fuselage side "blister packs" mounting guns that also fired forward.
While maneuvering 150 feet above the ground to attack the heavily defended airfield, 10-15 Japanese Oscar fighters
orbiting in the clouds attacked from above, making numerous passes at the force over a ten-minute span of time. Several concentrated their fire on Cheli's bomber, causing its right engine to burst into flames while still 2 miles from the target. The fire quickly spread to the nose and cockpit.
His speed would have enabled him to gain necessary altitude to parachute to safety, but this action would have resulted in his formation becoming disorganized and exposed to the enemy. Although a crash was inevitable, he elected to continue leading the attack. From a minimum altitude, the squadron made a devastating bombing and strafing attack on the target. Maj. Cheli directed his wingman to lead the formation. His aircraft flew southeast to the vicinity of Boram airfield, where it crash-landed in the sea about 2 kilometers offshore.
Initially he was believed killed in the crash, but post war evidence indicates that he survived the crash but was executed in March 1944 by the Japanese while a POW on Rabaul
. For his actions, he posthumously received the Medal of Honor
. What are believed to be Major Cheli's and other similarly executed POWs remains are now interred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
in St. Louis
, Missouri
.
Cheli was survived by his wife, Geraldine, and infant son, Ralph Jr. The Arnold Air Society
chapter at his alma mater Lehigh University
was named in his honor. Between 1947 and 1961 the United States Air Force
operated the Cheli Air Force Station near Maywood, California
.
Citation:
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
and a recipient of the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
. He served as the commanding officer of the 405th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)
405th Tactical Missile Squadron
The 405th Tactical Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 38th Tactical Missile Wing, based at Sembach Air Base, West Germany. It was inactivated on 25 September 1966.-History:...
in the Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
's 38th Bombardment Group
38th Bombardment Group
The 38th Bombardment Group is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. It was most recently assigned as the operational component of the 38th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Laon-Couvron Air Base, France, where it was inactivated on 8 December 1957.During World War II the 38th Bomb Group...
, based at Durand Airfield
Durand Airfield
Durand Airfield is a former World War II airfield near Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. It was part of a multiple-airfield complex in the Port Moresby area, located from Port Moresby, to the north of the Waigani swamp....
, Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
, New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
.
On August 18, 1943, while leading his group of B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
s on a low level attack of two Japanese airfields
Bombing of Wewak
The Bombing of Wewak was a series of air raids by the USAAF Fifth Air Force, on 17–21 August 1943, against the major air base of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force on the mainland of New Guinea, at Wewak...
, his bomber was severely damaged. Cheli pressed the attack despite the battle damage, then crash-landed his bomber at sea. He was made a prisoner-of-war and on March 6, 1944, was executed by his captors. During the period when his status was unknown, Cheli was nominated for the Medal of Honor, which he was awarded in October 1943.
Biography
Born in San Francisco to Alfred and Julia Cheli, he attended Lehigh UniversityLehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
as member of the class of 1941. In February 1940, during his junior year, he left Lehigh to enlist in the USAAF as an aviation cadet. He undertook primary flying training at Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
; basic flight training at Randolph Field, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
; and multi-engine advanced training at Kelly Field, Texas.
After commissioning as a second lieutenant in November, Cheli was assigned as a B-17 Flying Fortress co-pilot in the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron, operating from Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, under the 3rd Bombardment Wing
98th Bombardment Wing (World War II)
The 98th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Force Reserve, based at Bedford Field, Massachusetts...
of General Headquarters Air Force. After attending the Chemical Warfare School at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, he rejoined the 21st RS at MacDill Field, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, where it had been attached to the 29th Bomb Group
29th Bombardment Group
The 29th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit last based at Craig AFB, Alabama. It was inactivated when Craig AFB was closed as a budget reduction action after the Vietnam War....
. When the United States entered World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Cheli was promoted to 1st lieutenant in February 1942 and flew anti-submarine patrols in the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
as a B-17 pilot with the 43rd Bomb Squadron (29th BG).
Cheli advanced to captain in June 1942 and was transferred to the 38th Bomb Group
38th Bombardment Group
The 38th Bombardment Group is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. It was most recently assigned as the operational component of the 38th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Laon-Couvron Air Base, France, where it was inactivated on 8 December 1957.During World War II the 38th Bomb Group...
at Barksdale Field, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, where he was assigned as Operations Officer of the 405th Bomb Squadron "Green Dragons". In August Cheli led a flight of B-25s from Hamilton Field, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, to Australia in the first air movement of B-25s to the Southwest Pacific war zone. Two months later, the 38th moved forward to Port Moresby, where Cheli was assigned command of the 405th BS after the death of its previous commander on January 5, 1943. He was promoted to major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in March.
On March 3, 1943, during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea
Battle of the Bismarck Sea
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea took place in the South West Pacific Area during World War II. During the course of the battle, aircraft of the U.S. 5th Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force attacked a Japanese convoy that was carrying troops to Lae, New Guinea...
, Cheli led the 405th Bomb Squadron in the first daylight "masthead" (low level) attack against a Japanese shipping convoy, one of the first skip bombing
Skip bombing
Skip bombing was a low-level bombing technique developed by Italian pilot Giuseppe Cenni flying German Junkers Ju 87 Stuka aircraft during attacks on Allied ships off the coast of North Africa, between May and October of 1941...
raids. In all he flew 39 combat missions and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
and the Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
.
Medal of Honor mission
In August 1943, the Fifth Air Force was supporting the Allies' strategic plan of advance toward the Philippines along the north coast of New Guinea. Its next stage, scheduled for early September, was the seizure of the Japanese base at LaeLae
Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located at the start of the Highlands Highway which is the main land transport corridor from the Highlands region to the coast...
. The immediate goal of the Fifth Air Force was the neutralization of Japanese airpower concentrated at Wewak, some 300 miles west of Lae. Wewak and its satellite fields at But, Boram, and Dagua, based more than 100 bombers and about 90 fighters. The 500+-mile flight to Wewak was the deepest penetration into Japanese-held territory yet made by medium bombers.
On the night of August 16, 50 heavy bombers
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
attacked the fields, followed on the morning of the 17th by 32 B-25s, escorted by 80 P-38 Lightnings. Both attacks encountered intense antiaircraft fire but little fighter opposition. Another attack on the airfields was dispatched on the morning of August 18 to strafe and drop the fields from low altitude. The 3rd Attack Group
3d Operations Group
The 3d Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 3d Wing. It is stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Pacific Air Forces Eleventh Air Force....
was assigned to attack Wewak and Boram fields, while the 38th BG was sent further west to attack Dagua and But airdromes. Each bomber was loaded with 12 3-bomb clusters of 23-pound "para-frag" bombs, which the 405th BS would drop on Dagua and the 71st BS on But.
Cheli was assigned to lead the 38th BG, 30 B-25 Mitchells including stand-bys. Bad weather en route separated the force from its P-38 cover escort, and mechanical problems reduced each squadron by one Mitchell, leaving his 405th and the following 71st Squadrons to attack with 28 B-25s. His assigned aircraft that day was B-25D-1 (s/n 41-30117), a bomber field-modified into a strafer by enclosure of its plexiglass nose to mounting of four forward-firing machine guns, and a pair of fuselage side "blister packs" mounting guns that also fired forward.
While maneuvering 150 feet above the ground to attack the heavily defended airfield, 10-15 Japanese Oscar fighters
Nakajima Ki-43
The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa was a single-engine land-based tactical fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II...
orbiting in the clouds attacked from above, making numerous passes at the force over a ten-minute span of time. Several concentrated their fire on Cheli's bomber, causing its right engine to burst into flames while still 2 miles from the target. The fire quickly spread to the nose and cockpit.
His speed would have enabled him to gain necessary altitude to parachute to safety, but this action would have resulted in his formation becoming disorganized and exposed to the enemy. Although a crash was inevitable, he elected to continue leading the attack. From a minimum altitude, the squadron made a devastating bombing and strafing attack on the target. Maj. Cheli directed his wingman to lead the formation. His aircraft flew southeast to the vicinity of Boram airfield, where it crash-landed in the sea about 2 kilometers offshore.
Initially he was believed killed in the crash, but post war evidence indicates that he survived the crash but was executed in March 1944 by the Japanese while a POW on Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
. For his actions, he posthumously received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
. What are believed to be Major Cheli's and other similarly executed POWs remains are now interred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
- External links :**...
in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
Cheli was survived by his wife, Geraldine, and infant son, Ralph Jr. The Arnold Air Society
Arnold Air Society
The Arnold Air Society is a professional, honorary, service organization advocating the support of aerospace power. AAS is open to officer candidates in Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and at the United States Air Force Academy , and is formally affiliated with the Air Force Association...
chapter at his alma mater Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
was named in his honor. Between 1947 and 1961 the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
operated the Cheli Air Force Station near Maywood, California
Maywood, California
Maywood is a small city in southeast Los Angeles County, California. At , Maywood is the third-smallest incorporated city in Los Angeles County....
.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Army Air Corps. Place and date: Near Wewak, New Guinea, August 18, 1943. Entered service at: Brooklyn, N.Y. Birth: San Francisco, Calif. G.O. No.: 72, October 28, 1943.Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy. While Maj. Cheli was leading his squadron in a dive to attack the heavily defended Dagua Airdrome, intercepting enemy aircraft centered their fire on his plane, causing it to burst into flames while still 2 miles from the objective. His speed would have enabled him to gain necessary altitude to parachute to safety, but this action would have resulted in his formation becoming disorganized and exposed to the enemy. Although a crash was inevitable, he courageously elected to continue leading the attack in his blazing plane. From a minimum altitude, the squadron made a devastating bombing and strafing attack on the target. The mission completed, Maj. Cheli instructed his wingman to lead the formation and crashed into the sea.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
- List of Italian American Medal of Honor recipients