Posted on Oct 8, 2017
October 8, 1918: Ralph Talbot Becomes First US Marine Aviator to Win Medal of Honor - History and...
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On October 8, 1918, 2nd Lt. Ralph Talbot of Massachusetts earned the coveted Medal of Honor, the highest American military honor. Talbot was the first US Marine Corps aviator to be so honored.
Digging Deeper
Born in 1897 in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, Talbot was both an excellent student and a natural athlete. After high school he attended Mercersburg Academy (Pennsylvania), a college preparatory school, and then went on to Yale University. While at Yale, Talbot attended flying school in Delaware, and served in the Artillery Training Corps at Yale, somewhat similar to today’s ROTC.
A Patriotic American, Ralph enlisted in the Navy in October of 1917, was sent to aviation ground training at MIT and flight school in Florida, earning his wings as Naval Aviator #456. Eager to go to Europe and fight in World War I, Talbot switched to the US Marine Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant, and was shipped to Europe with the first increment of US military to join the combat.
Flying an Airco DH-4 observation/general purpose plane (one engine, a pilot and an observer/gunner, a British design built in the USA), Talbot as the pilot had a forward firing .303 caliber machine gun and his observer had a Lewis machine gun on a flexible mount behind the pilot. The DH-4 was also capable of carrying a small bomb load (460 pounds). Not as maneuverable as single seat fighter planes (called “scouts” in those days), the DH-4 was fast for its time, with a top speed of 143 mph.
Talbot participated in many combat missions, and on October 8, 1918, flew into a particularly tricky situation when he was attacked by 9 enemy fighters. Talbot and his observer survived the uneven dogfight, and even shot down one of the German planes. A week later during a strike against a German ammo dump, Talbot and another DH-4 were separated from their flight, due to engine trouble. This time, 12 enemy fighters attacked Talbot and again, he managed to shoot one of those attackers down, but his observer was wounded and the observer’s gun jammed. Talbot deftly kept his plane out of the machine gun fire of the enemy while the wounded observer un-jammed his Lewis gun, and Talbot rejoined the dogfight. Ralph’s observer collapsed after being wounded 2 more times, and Talbot managed to shoot down another German Fokker D.VII alone. Motor coughing and failing, Talbot managed to elude the German fighters and raced with his wounded observer low across the battlefield, crossing German trenches at a mere 50 feet of altitude. Talbot made an emergency landing at the nearest Allied hospital, delivering his wounded observer to medical care before taking off again and returning to his air base.
For his heroic actions on October 8 and October 14, 1918, Ralph Talbot was awarded the Medal of Honor, although he did not live to receive his medal. Talbot died on October 25, 1918 while on take-off, testing a repaired engine. In his birth town of Weymouth, Massachusetts, a street and a school bear his name, and in 1936 the US Navy welcomed Destroyer USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 to the fleet. Ralph Talbot died at the age of 21, but his legacy lives on in the many heroic Marine Corps aviators that have followed and continue to serve in his tradition of skill and courage. Semper fi, Lieutenant Talbot.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Talbot
http://www.patriotledger.com/news/20170428/fascinating-new-insight-gained-into-ralph-talbot
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ ltc frank LTC (Join to see) @ ltc bill LTC Bill Koski @ maj stephen LTC (Join to see) @ maj william Maj William W. 'Bill' Price @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ sra christopher SrA Christopher Wright @ msg andrew MSG Andrew White @ sfc william SFC William Farrell @ ssg robert SSG Robert Webster @ sgt david SGT (Join to see) @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski @ spc margaret SPC Margaret Higgins SCPO Morris Ramsey Alan K.
Digging Deeper
Born in 1897 in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, Talbot was both an excellent student and a natural athlete. After high school he attended Mercersburg Academy (Pennsylvania), a college preparatory school, and then went on to Yale University. While at Yale, Talbot attended flying school in Delaware, and served in the Artillery Training Corps at Yale, somewhat similar to today’s ROTC.
A Patriotic American, Ralph enlisted in the Navy in October of 1917, was sent to aviation ground training at MIT and flight school in Florida, earning his wings as Naval Aviator #456. Eager to go to Europe and fight in World War I, Talbot switched to the US Marine Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant, and was shipped to Europe with the first increment of US military to join the combat.
Flying an Airco DH-4 observation/general purpose plane (one engine, a pilot and an observer/gunner, a British design built in the USA), Talbot as the pilot had a forward firing .303 caliber machine gun and his observer had a Lewis machine gun on a flexible mount behind the pilot. The DH-4 was also capable of carrying a small bomb load (460 pounds). Not as maneuverable as single seat fighter planes (called “scouts” in those days), the DH-4 was fast for its time, with a top speed of 143 mph.
Talbot participated in many combat missions, and on October 8, 1918, flew into a particularly tricky situation when he was attacked by 9 enemy fighters. Talbot and his observer survived the uneven dogfight, and even shot down one of the German planes. A week later during a strike against a German ammo dump, Talbot and another DH-4 were separated from their flight, due to engine trouble. This time, 12 enemy fighters attacked Talbot and again, he managed to shoot one of those attackers down, but his observer was wounded and the observer’s gun jammed. Talbot deftly kept his plane out of the machine gun fire of the enemy while the wounded observer un-jammed his Lewis gun, and Talbot rejoined the dogfight. Ralph’s observer collapsed after being wounded 2 more times, and Talbot managed to shoot down another German Fokker D.VII alone. Motor coughing and failing, Talbot managed to elude the German fighters and raced with his wounded observer low across the battlefield, crossing German trenches at a mere 50 feet of altitude. Talbot made an emergency landing at the nearest Allied hospital, delivering his wounded observer to medical care before taking off again and returning to his air base.
For his heroic actions on October 8 and October 14, 1918, Ralph Talbot was awarded the Medal of Honor, although he did not live to receive his medal. Talbot died on October 25, 1918 while on take-off, testing a repaired engine. In his birth town of Weymouth, Massachusetts, a street and a school bear his name, and in 1936 the US Navy welcomed Destroyer USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 to the fleet. Ralph Talbot died at the age of 21, but his legacy lives on in the many heroic Marine Corps aviators that have followed and continue to serve in his tradition of skill and courage. Semper fi, Lieutenant Talbot.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Talbot
http://www.patriotledger.com/news/20170428/fascinating-new-insight-gained-into-ralph-talbot
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ ltc frank LTC (Join to see) @ ltc bill LTC Bill Koski @ maj stephen LTC (Join to see) @ maj william Maj William W. 'Bill' Price @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ sra christopher SrA Christopher Wright @ msg andrew MSG Andrew White @ sfc william SFC William Farrell @ ssg robert SSG Robert Webster @ sgt david SGT (Join to see) @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski @ spc margaret SPC Margaret Higgins SCPO Morris Ramsey Alan K.
October 8, 1918: Ralph Talbot Becomes First US Marine Aviator to Win Medal of Honor - History and...
Posted from historyandheadlines.com
Medal of Honor
WWI
Marines
Pilot
Aviator
Posted 7 y ago
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SGT John " Mac " McConnell thank you my friend in Texas for this solid share and read on 2nd Lt. Ralph Talbot of Massachusetts earned the coveted Medal of Honor, the highest American military honor. Talbot was the first US Marine Corps aviator to be so honored on October 8, 1918.
SFC William Farrell PO1 William "Chip" Nagel LTC Stephen F.] SGT Robert George SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas Maj Marty Hogan MSG Andrew White SGT (Join to see) SFC Dave Beran SGT Philip Roncari SPC Margaret Higgins SrA Christopher Wright SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM SP5 Michael Rathbun SGT Michael Thorin SFC Shirley Whitfield SSG Diane R. COL Mikel J. Burroughs
SFC William Farrell PO1 William "Chip" Nagel LTC Stephen F.] SGT Robert George SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas Maj Marty Hogan MSG Andrew White SGT (Join to see) SFC Dave Beran SGT Philip Roncari SPC Margaret Higgins SrA Christopher Wright SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM SP5 Michael Rathbun SGT Michael Thorin SFC Shirley Whitfield SSG Diane R. COL Mikel J. Burroughs
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SGT John " Mac " McConnell - good morning, and know this read/share are important and filled with knowledge my friend.
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Thanks for reminding us SGT John " Mac " McConnell that on October 8, 1918, 2nd Lt. Ralph Talbot of Massachusetts was awarded the Medal of Honor and he had the distinction of being the first US Marine Corps aviator to be so honored.
Images: 1918 Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot, USMCR, (1897-1918); 1918 Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot, USMCR, (1897-1918) plaque; USS RALPH TALBOT (DD-390).jpg
Additional background from the Military Hall of Honor:
"Ralph Talbot, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps
Birthplace: South Weymouth, MA, USA
Branch: Marines (present)
Home of Record: Wilmington, DE
Date of Birth: 06 January 1897
Date of Death: 25 October 1918
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Years Served: 1917-1918
Medal of Honor Recipient during World War I
Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot (6 January 1897 - 25 October 1918) was a U.S Marine Corps officer and aviator who was posthumously awarded the U.S. military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during World War I. He was the first Marine aviator to receive the Medal of Honor.
Ralph Talbot was born on 6 January 1897 at South Weymouth, MA, and attended Weymouth High School. He was gifted both athletically and academically and entered Mercersburg Academy, PA, in the autumn of 1915. A year later he entered Yale University. While serving in the university's Artillery Training Corps, Talbot became interested in aviation and enrolled at the Dupont Flying School in Wilmington, DE.
Talbot enlisted in the United States Navy in October 1917 with the rank of Seaman 2nd Class. After ground training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and flying training in Florida, he became Naval Aviator No. 456. At the time, the Marine Corps were having problems recruiting aviators. Along with a number of other navy pilots, Talbot therefore realized that he was more likely to achieve his ambition of being posted overseas if he joined the Marines. After resigning from the Navy, he was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve on 18 May 1918. He arrived in Miami a week later to join the First Marine Aviation Force with Squadron C. On 18 July 1918, Talbot was part of the initial party which sailed from New York for active service in World War I.
A participant in numerous raids into enemy territory, Second Lieutenant Talbot was attacked by nine Luftstreitkräfte enemy scouts while on a raid over Belgium on 8 October 1918 and, in the ensuing fight, shot down one of his attackers. Six days later, while on a strike against an enemy ammunition depot at Pittem, he and another plane became detached from the formation due to motor trouble and were attacked by 12 enemy scouts. In the fight which followed, his plane shot down one of the enemy scouts before his observer, Gunnery Sergeant Robert G. Robinson, was shot and the gun jammed. Talbot maneuvered the DeHavilland to gain time while Robinson cleared the gun and rejoined the battle. Robinson kept on firing until he collapsed from two more wounds. Talbot continued alone, shot down another enemy plane and then dived to escape the remaining Fokker D.VII fighters. Crossing the German trenches at 50 feet, he kept his ship with its failing motor in the air until he reached the nearest hospital where he landed, delivered Robinson to medical personnel and returned to his aerodrome. For his actions he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Second Lieutenant Talbot died on 25 October 1918, when his DH-4 crashed on takeoff during an engine test flight at La Fresne aerodrome.
Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps.
Citation: For exceptionally meritorious service and extraordinary heroism while attached to Squadron C, 1st Marine Aviation Force, in France. 2d Lt. Talbot participated in numerous air raids into enemy territory. On 8 October 1918, while on such a raid, he was attacked by 9 enemy scouts, and in the fight that followed shot down an enemy plane. Also, on 14 October 1918, while on a raid over Pittham, Belgium, 2d Lt. Talbot and another plane became detached from the formation on account of motor trouble and were attacked by 12 enemy scouts. During the severe fight that followed, his plane shot down 1 of the enemy scouts. His observer was shot through the elbow and his gun jammed. 2d Lt. Talbot maneuvered to gain time for his observer to clear the jam with one hand, and then returned to the fight. The observer fought until shot twice, once in the stomach and once in the hip and then collapsed, 2d Lt. Talbot attacked the nearest enemy scout with his front guns and shot him down. With his observer unconscious and his motor failing, he dived to escape the balance of the enemy and crossed the German trenches at an altitude of 50 feet, landing at the nearest hospital to leave his observer, and then returning to his aerodrome.
Honors
In 1936, the destroyer USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390) was named in his honor.
Ralph Talbot School and Street in Weymouth, MA, were named after him
Death and Burial
Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot died in an air crash on 25 October 1918. He is buried at Mount Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy, MA."
http://www.militaryhallofhonor.com/honoree-record.php?id=1829
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx Maj Marty Hogan PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SPC Margaret Higgins MSgt Jason McClish AN Christopher Crayne LTC Bill Koski SPC Tom DeSmet SGT Charles H. Hawes LTC Wayne Brandon SGT (Join to see) SGT Michael Thorin
Images: 1918 Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot, USMCR, (1897-1918); 1918 Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot, USMCR, (1897-1918) plaque; USS RALPH TALBOT (DD-390).jpg
Additional background from the Military Hall of Honor:
"Ralph Talbot, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps
Birthplace: South Weymouth, MA, USA
Branch: Marines (present)
Home of Record: Wilmington, DE
Date of Birth: 06 January 1897
Date of Death: 25 October 1918
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Years Served: 1917-1918
Medal of Honor Recipient during World War I
Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot (6 January 1897 - 25 October 1918) was a U.S Marine Corps officer and aviator who was posthumously awarded the U.S. military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during World War I. He was the first Marine aviator to receive the Medal of Honor.
Ralph Talbot was born on 6 January 1897 at South Weymouth, MA, and attended Weymouth High School. He was gifted both athletically and academically and entered Mercersburg Academy, PA, in the autumn of 1915. A year later he entered Yale University. While serving in the university's Artillery Training Corps, Talbot became interested in aviation and enrolled at the Dupont Flying School in Wilmington, DE.
Talbot enlisted in the United States Navy in October 1917 with the rank of Seaman 2nd Class. After ground training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and flying training in Florida, he became Naval Aviator No. 456. At the time, the Marine Corps were having problems recruiting aviators. Along with a number of other navy pilots, Talbot therefore realized that he was more likely to achieve his ambition of being posted overseas if he joined the Marines. After resigning from the Navy, he was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve on 18 May 1918. He arrived in Miami a week later to join the First Marine Aviation Force with Squadron C. On 18 July 1918, Talbot was part of the initial party which sailed from New York for active service in World War I.
A participant in numerous raids into enemy territory, Second Lieutenant Talbot was attacked by nine Luftstreitkräfte enemy scouts while on a raid over Belgium on 8 October 1918 and, in the ensuing fight, shot down one of his attackers. Six days later, while on a strike against an enemy ammunition depot at Pittem, he and another plane became detached from the formation due to motor trouble and were attacked by 12 enemy scouts. In the fight which followed, his plane shot down one of the enemy scouts before his observer, Gunnery Sergeant Robert G. Robinson, was shot and the gun jammed. Talbot maneuvered the DeHavilland to gain time while Robinson cleared the gun and rejoined the battle. Robinson kept on firing until he collapsed from two more wounds. Talbot continued alone, shot down another enemy plane and then dived to escape the remaining Fokker D.VII fighters. Crossing the German trenches at 50 feet, he kept his ship with its failing motor in the air until he reached the nearest hospital where he landed, delivered Robinson to medical personnel and returned to his aerodrome. For his actions he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Second Lieutenant Talbot died on 25 October 1918, when his DH-4 crashed on takeoff during an engine test flight at La Fresne aerodrome.
Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps.
Citation: For exceptionally meritorious service and extraordinary heroism while attached to Squadron C, 1st Marine Aviation Force, in France. 2d Lt. Talbot participated in numerous air raids into enemy territory. On 8 October 1918, while on such a raid, he was attacked by 9 enemy scouts, and in the fight that followed shot down an enemy plane. Also, on 14 October 1918, while on a raid over Pittham, Belgium, 2d Lt. Talbot and another plane became detached from the formation on account of motor trouble and were attacked by 12 enemy scouts. During the severe fight that followed, his plane shot down 1 of the enemy scouts. His observer was shot through the elbow and his gun jammed. 2d Lt. Talbot maneuvered to gain time for his observer to clear the jam with one hand, and then returned to the fight. The observer fought until shot twice, once in the stomach and once in the hip and then collapsed, 2d Lt. Talbot attacked the nearest enemy scout with his front guns and shot him down. With his observer unconscious and his motor failing, he dived to escape the balance of the enemy and crossed the German trenches at an altitude of 50 feet, landing at the nearest hospital to leave his observer, and then returning to his aerodrome.
Honors
In 1936, the destroyer USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390) was named in his honor.
Ralph Talbot School and Street in Weymouth, MA, were named after him
Death and Burial
Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot died in an air crash on 25 October 1918. He is buried at Mount Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy, MA."
http://www.militaryhallofhonor.com/honoree-record.php?id=1829
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx Maj Marty Hogan PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SPC Margaret Higgins MSgt Jason McClish AN Christopher Crayne LTC Bill Koski SPC Tom DeSmet SGT Charles H. Hawes LTC Wayne Brandon SGT (Join to see) SGT Michael Thorin
Military Hall of Honor, a virtual Military Hall of Honor. Remembrances and tributes to all those who have honorably served in the US Armed Forces.
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I am making this comment because I have a five friends who are CMoH recipients (the reasons why are another story). They wish to remind everyone that this medal or decoration, and others right beneath it, are not and never have been earned or won. Awarded is acceptable, but the correct term is received or presented. The member is the recipient. They also remind us that the "official" term is still, and has never changed from, the Congressional Medal of Honor. Just an FYI. (Don Ballard - an RP member, Pete Lemon, Herschel "Woody" Williams, Thomas Hudner, and Sal Guinta.)
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