Ralph Talbot

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Ralph Talbot
January 06, 1897 – October 25, 1918 (aged 21)

Place of birth South Weymouth, Massachusetts
Place of death KIA near the Belgian front
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service 1917-1918
Rank Second 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.

Contents

[edit] Biography

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.

[edit] Namesakes

  • In 1936, the destroyer USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390) was named in his honor.
  • Also Ralph Talbot School and Street in Weymouth,Mass were named after him

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 6 January 1897, South Weymouth, Mass. Appointed from: Connecticut.

Citation:

For exceptionally meritorious service and extraordinary heroism while attached to Squadron C, 1st Marine Aviation Force, in France. 2d Lt. Talbot participated in numerous air raids into enemy territory. On 8 October 1918, while on such a raid, he was attacked by 9 enemy scouts, and in the fight that followed shot down an enemy plane. Also, on 14 October 1918, while on a raid over Pittham, Belgium, 2d Lt. Talbot and another plane became detached from the formation on account of motor trouble and were attacked by 12 enemy scouts. During the severe fight that followed, his plane shot down 1 of the enemy scouts. His observer was shot through the elbow and his gun jammed. 2d Lt. Talbot maneuvered to gain time for his observer to clear the jam with one hand, and then returned to the fight. The observer fought until shot twice, once in the stomach and once in the hip and then collapsed, 2d Lt. 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 50 feet, landing at the nearest hospital to leave his observer, and then returning to his aerodrome.

[edit] See also

United States Marine Corps Portal

[edit] References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
  • Ralph Talbot. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. Retrieved on 2005-08-11.

[edit] External links