Congressional Medal of Honor Society

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World War I - U.S. Army

Richard William O'Neill

Details
  • Rank: Sergeant (Highest Rank: First Lieutenant)
  • Conflict/Era: World War I
  • Unit/Command:
    Company D, 165th Infantry,
    42d Division
  • Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
  • Medal of Honor Action Date: July 30, 1918
  • Medal of Honor Action Place: on the Oureq River, France
Citation

In advance of an assaulting line, he attacked a detachment of about 25 of the enemy. In the ensuing hand-to-hand encounter he sustained pistol wounds, but heroically continued in the advance, during which he received additional wounds; but, with great physical effort, he remained in active command of his detachment. Being again wounded, he was forced by weakness and loss of blood to be evacuated, but insisted upon being taken first to the battalion commander in order to transmit to him valuable information relative to enemy positions and the disposition of our men.

Medal of Honor Recipient Richard W. O'Neill
Medal of Honor Recipient Richard W. O'Neill
Additional Details
  • Accredited to: New York, New York
  • Awarded Posthumously: No
  • Presentation Date & Details: November 1919

    Fordham University, Bronx, New York, presented by Marshall Foch

  • Born: August 28, 1898, New York, NY, United States
  • Died: April 9, 1982, Hawthorne, NY, United States
  • Buried: Gate of Heaven Cemetery (PM) (22-488-9), Hawthorne, NY, United States
 

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