World War II Honoree

Ralph Cheli

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

San Francisco, California

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. MAJOR, U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS. PLACE AND DATE: NEAR WEWAK, NEW GUINEA, AUGUST 18, 1943. ENTERED SERVICE AT BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. CITATION: 'FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY IN ACTION WITH THE ENEMY. WHILE MAJOR 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, MAJOR CHELI INSTRUCTED HIS WINGMAN TO LEAD THE FORMATION AND CRASHED INTO THE SEA.'