Medal of Honor Monday: Army Air Forces Maj. Ralph Cheli

View Online Medal of Honor Monday: Army Air Forces Maj. Ralph Cheli Aug. 24, 2026 | By David Vergun Army Air Forces Maj. Ralph Cheli, a bomber pilot, was posthumously presented with the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry during World War II. Cheli was born to Robert Alfred Cheli, an Italian immigrant, and Julia Cheli, Oct. 29, 1919, in San Francisco. He was an only child. He dropped out of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to enlist as a flying cadet in the Army Air Corps in early 1940. He trained at Randolph Field and Kelly Field, both in Texas. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in November 1940.  He married Geraldine Reilly, and they had a son, Ralph Cheli Jr.  Following his tour at Kelly Field, he flew B-17 Flying Fortress bombers for the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron at MacDill Field, Florida. He then attended chemical warfare school at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland.   Following his promotion to first lieutenant in February 1942, Cheli joined the 43rd Bombardment Squadron and flew B-17s on reconnaissance and antisubmarine patrols in the Caribbean.  In June 1942, he joined the 405th Bombardment Squadron at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. In August 1942, he flew from Hamilton Field, California, to Breddan Aerodrome in Queensland, Australia, in a B-25 Mitchell bomber and in October 1942, he flew to Durand Airfield in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, where he took command of the 405th Bombardment Squadron, 38th Bombardment Group, 5th Air Force.  He was promoted to major in February 1943, making him one of the youngest commanders in the Army Air Forces.  Cheli led 39 combat missions during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in March 1943, attacking Japanese shipping. These missions earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.   On Aug. 18, 1943, while he was flying a B-25D-1 Mitchell bomber near Wewak, Papua New Guinea, and leading the 405th in an attack of the heavily defended Dagua Airfield, he was intercepted by enemy aircraft. They centered their fire on his plane, causing it to burst into flames while still 2 miles from the objective.  His speed would have enabled him to gain the necessary altitude to parachute to safety, but this action would have left his formation disorganized and exposed to the enemy.   Although a crash was inevitable, he courageously elected to continue leading the attack in his blazing plane, an action that led to him posthumously receiving the Medal of Honor. From a minimum altitude, the squadron made a devastating bombing and strafing attack on the target. With the mission completed, Cheli instructed his wingman to lead the formation and then crashed his bomber into the sea.  After impact, Cheli and the surviving crew members were captured by the Japanese and held at Rabaul, a town on the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea, and later at Tunnel Hill Prisoner of War Camp. Records indicate he was treated harshly and beaten for refusing to provide any information beyond his name, rank, service number and birth date.  Cheli and other POWs were executed in the Tunnel Hill Massacre, March 6, 1944, and buried in a mass grave. The Japanese falsely claimed the POW deaths were caused by Allied bombings. After the war, investigators found mass graves using confessions of those who had committed the war crimes.  His probable remains and those of other executed POWs were transferred to the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, and buried together, March 21, 1950. Beneath the group grave marker at the burial site is a dedicated marker commemorating Cheli with a gold inlay of the Medal of Honor and an inscription with his name, rank and date of death.  "I wish he had gone down with the plane, unfortunately," said his great niece, Janet Bizjak, in a 2020 interview with The Morning Call newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania.   His widow was presented the Medal of Honor by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Oct. 28, 1943. Cheli was also posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Purple Heart and Prisoner of War Medal.  Cheli Air Force Station in Los Angeles was named for him in 1947, and was closed in 1961. Also, the Cheli School Age Care on Misawa Air Base, Japan, bears his name.  In 1968, a painting of him was unveiled in a ceremony and hung in Grace Hall at Lehigh University. The chapter of the Arnold Air Society at Lehigh was named in his honor. This article is part of a weekly series called "Medal of Honor Monday," in which we highlight one of the more than 3,500 Medal of Honor recipients who have received the U.S. military's highest medal for valor.  Spotlight: Medal of Honor   Experience: The Highest Awards for Valor

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Today in DOW: Aug. 24, 2026

Today in DOW: Aug. 24, 2026 Open Press Events Secretary of War The secretary travels to Omaha, Nebraska; and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to visit U.S. Strategic Command Headquarters and deliver remarks to the workforce and leaders at Oshkosh Corp. There will...   Read More > Deputy Secretary of War The deputy secretary has no public or media events on his schedule.   Read More > Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman has no public or media events on his schedule.   Read More > Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff The vice chairman has no public or media events on his schedule.   Read More > View All Postings   Contacts Additions and corrections for Today in DOW are invited and should be directed to the press desk by calling +1 (703) 697-5131 or +1 (703) 697-5132. For additional media information click here. Public Inquiries Contact us for more information, if you have questions or for technical support. Media Questions News media representatives with questions for the Department of War may reach our press desk by calling +1 (703) 697-5131. Duty Officer A public affairs duty officer is available 24 hours a day through +1 (703) 697-5131.

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Africa should export strategic thinking | Jockey marks 150 years with SA push

Lepas L6 EV teased for SA launch

AFRICA Mon 24 August 2026 ALL INDUSTRIES  | COMPANIES  | JOBS  | EVENTS  | SUBMIT NEWS  | ADVERTISE  | FOLLOW  | MY ACCOUNT  | SUBSCRIBE  |  UNSUBSCRIBE #WomensMonth | The Odd Number’s Mbali Mchunu: Africa should export strategic thinking, not stereotypes KARABO LEDWABA Clios-recognised strategist Mbali Mchunu on women, power and why representation means little if it cannot change the work... Read more Lepas L6 EV teased ahead of SA launch IMRAN SALIE  read Jockey marks 150 years with a brand refresh and e-commerce push EVAN-LEE COURIE  read MV Pacific Virtue makes first SA port call at Richards Bay  read Mangrove, Hilton partner on Luanda airport hotel Mangrove Group and Hilton are partnering on a new hospitality development at Luanda’s Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport, following approval of a hotel concession at the airport... Read Is AI eroding our critical thinking skills? RETHA BEERMAN As AI reshapes the workplace, women face a dual challenge: ensuring equal access to technology while preserving the ability to think critically... Read Social media companies increasingly under fire for violations of children's privacy TikTok has agreed to pay $400m to settle allegations it violated the privacy of children using the app... Read New Press Office on Bizcommunity More   |   Join Livespace We help businesses attract and convert more high-value customers through performance marketing, AI-powered conversations, automation, content and sales systems. Contact  |  News  |  VISIT PRESS OFFICE  |  Facebook Jobs offered Freelance Relocation Consultant - Agadir More jobs   Submit a job   Customise jobs View jobs Submit a job FOLLOW US List company List CV List new business List portfolio showcase List profile Submit event Submit gallery Submit job ad Submit new appointment Submit news Submit noticeboard Submit op-ed contribution Home My job ads My events My company My CV Advertising: We welcome your sales enquiries! Email sales and read more about our advertising rates 3rd Floor, 62 Roeland St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa. Tel +27 (0)21 404 1460 © 2026 bizcommunity.com. All rights reserved. Unsubscribe. Manage subscription. Subscribe. Change email. Change frequency to WEEKLY.

Jockey turns 150 with a fresh new look

We Are Food goes national | Birkenstock’s Boston turns 50

Retail Mon 24 August 2026 ALL INDUSTRIES  | COMPANIES  | JOBS  | EVENTS  | SUBMIT NEWS  | ADVERTISE  | FOLLOW  | MY ACCOUNT  | SUBSCRIBE  |  UNSUBSCRIBE Jockey marks 150 years with a brand refresh and e-commerce push EVAN-LEE COURIE  read From one Spar freezer to national shelves: The growth story of We Are Food What started in a family home in Umhlanga Rocks has grown into a 30-person food manufacturing business supplying frozen ready meals to Spar’s Signature Selection range... read Birkenstock’s Boston turns 50 with 50 ways to wear the everyday icon From surfers and designers to artists and self-confessed cat ladies, Birkenstock South Africa is marking five decades of the Boston clog by celebrating the people who have made it their own... read Whirlpool launches the W5 Built-in Oven Set in SA, bringing premium smart cooking within reach ISSUED BY KIC SOUTH AFRICA Whirlpool has expanded its premium built-in appliance offering in South Africa with the launch of the new Whirlpool W5 Built-in Oven Set – the first time the globally recognised W5 range has been introduced to the local market... Read Women's Month Empowered women are essential to a resilient circular economy PATRICIA PILLAY The goal should not be temporary inclusion but long-term participation in formal, resilient recycling value chains... Read Meet the women behind SA skincare brand Skin Functional The women behind Skin Functional have shaped their skincare journeys into a local brand... Read Commercial Property Vacant South African retail space gives tenants new leverage Atlas Finance’s retail expansion highlights five opportunities emerging from vacancies, shifting landlord power, overlooked locations, physical presence and new formats... Read Retail Marketing BOS Ice Tea turns Rosebank into a creative canvas Johannesburg’s Rosebank is getting an interactive OOH makeover this weekend as BOS Ice Tea turns the precinct into a temporary creative playground... Read New Press Office on Bizcommunity More   |   Join Livespace We help businesses attract and convert more high-value customers through performance marketing, AI-powered conversations, automation, content and sales systems. Contact  |  News  |  VISIT PRESS OFFICE  |  Facebook Jobs offered Marketing Manager - Cape Town More jobs   Submit a job   Customise jobs FOLLOW US List company List CV List new business List portfolio showcase List profile Submit event Submit gallery Submit job ad Submit new appointment Submit news Submit noticeboard Submit op-ed contribution Home My job ads My events My company My CV Advertising: We welcome your sales enquiries! Email sales and read more about our advertising rates 3rd Floor, 62 Roeland St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa. Tel +27 (0)21 404 1460 © 2026 bizcommunity.com. All rights reserved. Unsubscribe. Manage subscription. Subscribe. Change email. Change frequency to WEEKLY.