Today in US military history: Eddie Rickenbacker earns the Medal of Honor

Unto the Breach ^ | 25 September 2019 | Chris Carter

[fugazi]

Today's post is in honor of Staff Sgt. William E. Hill, who was killed on this day in 1965 during a sweep and clear mission in the Republic of Vietnam's Quang Nam province. [...]

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1775: A small force of American and Canadian militia led by Ethan Allen attempts to capture the British-held city of Montreal. British Gen. Guy Carleton quickly gathers a force of British regulars and Canadian militia, scattering Allen's troops and capturing the hero of Fort Ticonderoga and former commander of Vermont's famed "Green Mountain Boys." Allen will remain a prisoner in England until his exchange in 1778.

That same day, Col. Benedict Arnold sets out with 1,000 men on a poorly planned expedition to Quebec. The trip takes far longer than anticipated, forcing the men to eat their shoes and other leather equipment to survive, and they are soundly defeated by the British once the weakened force reaches their objective in December.

1918: Former Indianapolis 500 driver -- now captain and commander of the Army Air Corps' 94th "Hat in the Ring" Aero Squadron -- Eddie Rickenbacker (featured image) becomes a double ace, singlehandedly attacking a flight of seven German warplanes and downing two. For his actions on this day, he will receive one of his nine Distinguished Service Crosses -- later upgraded to the Medal of Honor. Rickenbacker's 26 aerial victories by war's end marks the most by any U.S. fighter pilot during World War I.

[...]

1993: A week before the Battle of Mogadishu, an American Blackhawk helicopter is shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade while on a patrol mission over the Somali capital. American and Pakistani units brave heavy enemy fire to secure the site and recover the three soldiers killed in the crash.

[fugazi]

Did you know that Rickenbacker dropped out of school in seventh grade -- to raise money for his family? He also raced in the 1911 Indianapolis 500. When he joined the Army in 1917 he was a mechanic and briefly served for Gen. John J. Pershing’s staff. He completed pilot training in just 17 days. During World War II he was travelling to New Guinea for a morale tour and the B-17 carrying Rickenbacker crashed in the Pacific Ocean and the men were stranded at sea for 24 days. Remarkably, only one of the crew perished.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

And he played a mean guitar, I hear.

[Tallguy]

Not taking away from Rickenbacker’s accomplishments but...

In the early days of motor cars drivers WERE the mechanics. The Indy 500 was designed to showcase performance and durability of the car entrants.

Pilot instruction in those days was often a matter of a couple of hours sitting in the cockpit getting ‘familiarized’ followed by a solo flight. Survive that and you get your ticket. (there were really no 2-place trainers yet). Some pilots literally got their instruction from one of the Wright brothers.

Also, the Department of War was rather ‘loose’ with awards back then. It was so bad that the US Army limited MoH awards to 1 per division for the D-day assault. Several deserving soldiers like (then) 1LT Richard Winters E co./506 Rgt/101 ABD did not receive consideration because their division already had a nominee.

Surviving a ditching in the Pacific — just WOW!

[myerson]

“And he played a mean guitar, I hear.”

A Martin? (s)

[rlmorel]

I highly recommend the book “The Aviators” which is a three part book about Eddie Rickenbacker, Charles Lindbergh, and Jimmy Doolittle.

One of the best books I have ever read, and it makes you realize what a real man Eddie Rickenbacker was.

Doolittle was a crazy guy in his younger days, broke both of his ankles doing a drunken handstand on a balcony down in South America while there to sell planes, still flew the demo the next day after cutting the cast off one of the feet, but could only maneuver to the right...

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Maybe an Airline!