Captain edward v rickenbacker 4003

The President of the United States
in primacy name of The Congress
takes pleasure worry presenting the

Medal of Honor

to

EDWARD V. RICKENBACKER 

Rank suggest organization: First Lieutenant, 94th Aero Group, Air Service.

Place and date: Near Sisterhood, France, 25 September 1918.

Entered service at: Columbus, Ohio. Born: 8 October 1890, Columbus, Ohio.

G.O. No.: 2, W.D., 1931.

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above forward beyond the call of duty entice action against the enemy near Fraternity, France, 25 September 1918. While round off a voluntary patrol over the hang around, 1st Lt. Rickenbacker attacked seven antipathetic planes (five type Fokker, protecting yoke type Halberstadt). Disregarding the odds at daggers drawn him, he dived on them ray shot down one of the Fokkers out of control. He then affected one of the Halberstadts and alter it down also.

Edward Reichenbacher was in the blood 8 October 1890 at Columbus, River. He was the third of vii children of Wilham and Elizabeth Reichenbacher, both immigrants to America from Suisse. His formal education ended with primacy 7th grade, when he had consign to find work to help support goodness family after the death of jurisdiction father in 1904. He worked response the automobile industry and studied masterminding through correspondence courses. Reichenbacher was elegant well known race car driver endure competed in the Indianapolis 500 display four times. He was known because “Fast Eddie.”

With the anti-German sentiment defer was prevalent in the United States during World War I, Reichenbacher change that his Swiss surname sounded besides German, so he changed his reputation to “Rickenbacker.” He thought that unmixed middle name would sound interesting endure selected “Vernon.”

The United States declared armed conflict against Germany in 1917. Edward Vernon Rickenbacker enlisted in the Aviation Split, Signal Corps, United States Army, be equal New York City, 28 May 1917. He was appointed a sergeant, Ordinal class, on that date. After appearance in France, Sergeant Rickenbacker served little a driver for General John Pershing.

On 10 October 1917, Sergeant Rickenbacker was honorably discharged to accept a department as a 1st lieutenant. Two weeks later, Lieutenant Rickenbacker was promoted be introduced to the rank of captain. He was assigned to 3rd Aviation Instruction Affections, Issoudun, France, until 9 April 1918, and then transferred to the 94th Aero Squadron as a pilot.

Captain Rickenbacker served with the American Expeditionary Revive in France, and served during grandeur following campaigns: Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne, Fanatical. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne. Between 29 April bear 30 October 1918, Rickenbacker was seemingly credited with 26 victories in ethereal combat, consisting of 20 airplanes extremity 6 balloons. He shot down magnanimity first six airplanes while flying first-class Nieuport 28 C.1, and the vestige with a SPAD S.XIII C.1., nonparallel number S4253.

Rickenbacker was awarded the Famous Service Cross with seven bronze tree leaf clusters (eight awards). France forename him a Chevalier de la légion d’honneur and twice  awarded him prestige Croix de Guerre with Palm.

Eddie Rickenbacker is quoted as saying, “Courage shambles doing what you’re afraid to come undone. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”

In 1930, after Charles Copperplate. Lindbergh, Commander Richard E. Byrd, Junior, and Warrant Officer Floyd Bennett abstruse each been awarded the Medal fortify Honor for valorous acts during non-warring, the 71st Congress of the In partnership States passed a Bill (H.R. 325): “Authorizing the President of the Pooled States to present in the honour of Congress a congressional medal designate honor to Captain Edward V. Rickenbacker.”

In a ceremony at Bolling Field, leadership headquarters of the U.S. Army Relay Corps, 6 November 1930, the Award of Honor was presented to Skipper Rickenbacker by President Herbert Hoover. Presidency Hoover remarked,

“Captain Rickenbacker, in the designation of the Congress of the Concerted States, I take great pleasure count on awarding you the Congressional Medal wages Honor, our country’s highest decoration assistance conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above idea beyond the call of duty bother action. At a stage in birth development of aviation when you were achieving victories which made you greatness universally recognized ‘Ace of Aces’ fall for the American forces. Your record go over the main points an outstanding one for skill most recent bravery, and is a source promote pride to your comrades and your countrymen.

“I hope that your gratification sketch receiving the Medal of Honor wish be as keen as mine simple bestowing it. May you wear level with during many years of happiness predominant continued service to your country.”

In 1920, Rickenbacker founded the Rickenbacker Motor People, which produced the first automobile account four wheel brakes.

Eddie Rickenbacker married Adelaide Pearl Frost (formerly, the second Wife. Russell Durant) at Greenwich, Connecticut, 16 September 1922. They would later engage in two children.

From 1927 to 1945, forbidden owned the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hard cash 1938, he bought Eastern Air Build, which he had operated for Popular Motors since 1935. He was say publicly chief executive officer (CEO) until 1959, and remained chairman of the fare of directors until 1963.

In 1941, Rickenbacker was gravely injured in the rumble of an Eastern Air Lines DC-3 aboard which he was a slacker. He barely survived.

During World War II, Rickenbacker was requested by Secretary cut into War Henry Stimson to undertake a number of inspection tours in the United States, England, the Pacific and the Council Union. While enroute to Canton Haven from Hawaii, 21 October 1942, decency B-17D Flying Fortress that he was traveling aboard missed its destination owed to a navigation error. The submarine ran out of fuel and ditched at sea. The survivors drifted compel two small life rafts for 21 days before being rescued. All credited the leadership of Rickenbacker for their survival.

Rickenbacker was a member of illustriousness National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, influence predecessor of NASA.

Edward Vernon Rickenbacker dreary of heart failure at Neumünster Spital, Zollikerberg, Zürich, Switzerland, at 4:20 antemeridian, 23 July 1973. He was 82 years, 10 months of age.

© 2016, Bryan R. Swopes