Ralph Talbot

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Ralph Talbot
January 6, 1897 - October 25, 1918

Place of birth	South Weymouth, Massachusetts
Place of death	KIA near the Belgian front
Allegiance	USMC
Years of service	1917-1918
Rank	2nd Lieutenant
Unit	1st Marine Aviation Force
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Medal of Honor

Ralph Talbot (6 January 1897 – 25 October 1918) was the first United States Marine Corps aviator to be awarded the Medal of Honor — for "exceptionally meritorious service and extraordinary heroism" while attached to Squadron C, 1st Marine Aviation Force, in France during World War I.

Talbot was born 6 January 1897 at South Weymouth, Massachusetts.

A participant in numerous raids into enemy territory, Second Lieutenant Talbot was attacked by nine enemy scouts while on such a raid over Belgium, 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, then rejoined the battle. Robinson kept on firing until he collapsed from two more wounds. Talbot continued alone, shot down another enemy plane, then dived to escape the remaining Fokkers. 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.

Second Lieutenant Talbot died on 25 October 1918, when his plane crashed on takeoff.

In 1936, the destroyer USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390) was named in his honor.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

For exceptional service and extraordinary heroism while attached to Squadron "C", First Marine Aviation Force, in France. He participated in numerous air raids into enemy territory, and on October 8th, 1918, while on such a raid, he was attacked by nine enemy scouts, and in the fight that followed shot down an enemy plane. Also, on October 14th, 1918, while on a raid over Pittman, Belgium, Lieutenant Talbot and one other plane became detached from the formation on account of motor trouble, and were attacked by twelve enemy scouts. During the severe fight that followed, his plane shot down one of the enemy scouts. His observer was shot through the elbow and his gun jammed. He cleared the jam with one hand while Talbot maneuvered to gain time, and then returned to the fight. The observer fought until shot twice in the stomach and once in the hip. When he collapsed Lieutenant 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 fifty feet, landing at the nearest hospital and left his observer and returned to his aerodrome.