Medal of Honor - Eddie Rickenbacker

Medal of Honor Citation: "Edward V. Rickenbacker, Colonel, specialist reserve, then first lieutenant, 94th Aero Squadron, Air Service, American Expeditionary Forces. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy near Billy, France, 25 September 1918. While on a voluntary patrol over the lines Lieutenant. Rickenbacker attacked seven enemy planes (five type Fokker protecting two type Halberstadt photographic planes). Disregarding the odds against him he dived on them and shot down one of the Fokkers out of control. He then attacked one of the Halberstadts and sent it down also..." Medal of Honor citation, awarded 6 November 1930 - Note: The narrator misspoke - my information indicates that Eddie had 26 victories vice 28. As an air traffic controller at the New Orleans Air Route Traffic Control Center in 1959 ... I was honored to shake hands with "Captain Eddie". (Source - National Archives)

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Medal
• of
• Honor
• Edward
• V
• Rickenbacker
• Captain
• Eddie
• n1014f

[marauder671980]

Eddie Rickenbacker-One of the top 5 greatest Americans of all time

[bobbya16]

@chaplainadare1996 ...they fought for four years....eddie fought four months

[DedhedWaldo]

Wow, what a fantastic honor to have met him and shaken his hand, 14foxtrot! He developed tactics that we still use today. And thanks for keeping the skies safe for us in the ARTC. I think you perform an unseen service to our country and the world when you provide ATC.

[raynus1]

@swanningaround: Actually, the greatest air ace ever was Germany's Erich Hartmann (352 kills). Chuck Yeager scored 11.5 kills. Rickenbaker, talented as he was, ranked far behind other nation's WWI top-scorers: Richtofen (Germany) 80 kills, Fonck (France) 75 kills, Bishop (Canada) 72 kills, Mannock (Great Britain) 61 kills. Rickenbaker is tied at 160th.

[ChiefRedCloud01]

You age very quickly in battle ...... If you servive ...... so four months though not four years ..... can be a life time ......

[sebbio118]

THAT'S MY COUSIN!!!!!

[MaoSuratt911]

As you can see,the man laughed at death....;)))))))

[tribegoddess]

I met Mr. Rickenbacker at the Detroit City Airport while he was getting a flight plan. Being a modeler, I got a lot of answers from him.

[bobbya16]

@cmc000259..?..

[cmc000259]

@bobbya16 

[cmc000259]

Have any of you actually read his autobiography? Rickenbacker is probably one of the greatest Americans to live. It should be manditory reading for all high schoolers.

It is very inspirational. I wish we had more Americans today as moral and dedicated as he.

[Kharkovkid]

Reminds me of driving a Pickup truck across West Texas in the dead of night. As the engine sputtered a sign loomed up in the darkness saying Ozuna 126 miles. And I said to myself, "Oh God!! I`m f@%*&#% Lindbergh!!"