Charles R. d'Olive

Charles Rudolph d'Olive
Nickname	Charlie
Born	10 July 1896 Suggsville, Alabama, USA
Died	20 July 1974 Waterloo, Iowa, USA
Vine Street Hills Cemetery	Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	Flying service
Years of service	1917 - 1918
Rank	First lieutenant
Unit	93d Aero Squadron, 141st Aero Squadron
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross

First Lieutenant Charles Rudolph d'Olive was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.^[1] He was the last World War I aviator to be declared an ace, in 1963.

World War I

Although born in Alabama, d'Olive later lived in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He enlisted into aviation service in Memphis during Bloody April 1917. He trained in France, and was posted to the 93d Aero Squadron on 23 August 1918^[2] as a Spad XIII pilot. He scored the new unit's first victory on 12 September. The following day, he shot down three Fokker D.VIIs, two in conjunction with George W. Furlow; it was an exploit that earned d'Olive the Distinguished Service Cross. He scored once more, on 18 October 1918.^[3] Ten days later, he was transferred to the 141st Aero Squadron as a Flight Commander.

Post World War I

When d'Olive returned home, he went into business. For reasons that remain murky, d'Olive would not be officially recognized as an ace until 1963. He died of cancer on 20 July 1974.^[4]

A number of historic items and documents from d'Olive's military service are on display at the 93d Bomb Squadron offices at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.^[5]

Honors and awards citations

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Charles Rudolph d'Olive, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near St. Benoit, France, September 12, 1918, First Lieutenant D'Olive, in conjunction with another American pilot, engaged and fought five enemy planes. Outnumbered and fighting against tremendous odds, he shot down three enemy planes and outfought the entire enemy formation.^[6]

References

• American Aces of World War I. Norman Franks, Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84176-375-6, 9781841763750.

Sources of information

1. ^ www.theaerodrome.com Retrieved on 27 June 2010.
2. ^ American Aces of World War I. p. 79. 
3. ^ www.theaerodrome.com Retrieved on 27 June 2010.
4. ^ American Aces of World War I. p. 80. 
5. ^ [url=http://www.307bw.afrc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123173425]|Transporting the Past: A Reunion Story
6. ^ (General Orders No. 123, W.D., 1918) as quoted at http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/dolive.php www.theaerodrome.com Retrieved on 27 June 2010.

Persondata
Name	Dolive, Charles R.
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	10 July 1896
Place of birth	Suggsville, Alabama, USA
Date of death	20 July 1974
Place of death	Waterloo, Iowa, USA