Ralph Ambrose O'Neill

Infobox Military Person
name=Ralph Ambrose O'Neill
born=birth date|1898|12|7
died= death date and age|1980|12|23|1898|12|7
placeofbirth= California, USA
placeofdeath=Redwood City, California


caption= Ralph Ambrose O'Neill.
nickname= Rodolfo O'Neill, while in Mexico.
allegiance=flagicon|United States United States of America
branch= United States Air Service
serviceyears=
rank= Lieutenant
commands=
unit=147th Aero
battles= World War I
Victories=5
awards=Distinguished Service Cross

O'Neill was a flying ace from the World War I. He entered the United States Air Service in August 1917. In 1918 he was assigned to the 147th Aero Squadron, flying the Nieuport 28 and the SPAD S.XIII during the First World War. After the war he returned to the United States, and was dismissed by the U.S. Air Service on February 19th, 1919. On August 1920 he signed up a five-year contract to set up a functional Mexican Air Force and train Mexican pilots, as the named country was undergoing numerous independent rebellions; In 1923 he flew several combat missions against Adolfo de la Huerta's rebellion. He left Mexico on December 1925 with the rank of General, and began a career in civil aviation. Founder of the New York, Rio, and Buenos Aires Line. [His book, entitled "A Dream of Eagles," was published in 1973 and describes how he formed his airline to South America.] [Article in Spanish: [http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/apjinternational/apj-s/2006/1tri06/flores.html] ]

Military Awards

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)

For extraordinary heroism in action near Château Thierry, France, 2 July 1918, Lt. O'Neill and four other pilots attacked twelve enemy battle planes. In a violent battle within the enemy's lines, they brought down three German planes, one of which was credited to Lt. O'Neill." DSC citation.

Victories

Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location 1 02/Jul/1918 1730 147th Nieuport 28 Fokker D.VII 1 Château Thierry

2 05/Jul/1918 0930 147th Nieuport 28 Pfalz D.III 2 Château Thierry

3 24/Jul/1918 1735 147th Nieuport 28 Fokker D.VII 3 Bois de Eere

4 24/Jul/1918 1735 147th Nieuport 28 Fokker D.VII 3 Bois de Eere

5 10/Oct/1918 1615 147th SPAD XIII (S4625) Rumpler C 4 Bantheville

Notes:

1 Shared with Lt TC Bronson, Lt CW McDermott, Lt MO Parry, Lt Kenneth Porter, Lt JH Stevens

2 Shared with Lt Francis Simonds

3 Shared with Lt TJ Abernathy, Lt James Healy, Lt AH Jones, Lt CP Porter

4 Shared with Lt James Meissner, Lt GC Waters

References