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First Name: Richard

Last Name: O'Neill

Birthplace: New York City, NY, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Army (1784 - present)



Home of Record: New York City, NY
Middle Name: William



Date of Birth: 28 August 1898

Date of Death: 09 April 1982

Rank: Sergeant

Years Served:
Richard William O’Neill

   
Engagements:
•  World War I (1914 - 1918)

Biography:

Richard William O'Neill

Sergeant, U.S. Army

Medal of Honor Recipient

World War I

Sergeant Richard William O'Neill (28 August 1898 - 9 April 1982) was a U.S. Army soldier who received the U.S. military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during World War I.

Richard William O'Neill was born in New York City, NY, on 28 August 1898; he also entered the Army from that city.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 165th Infantry, 42nd Division.

Place and date: On the Ourcq River, France, 30 July 1918.

Citation: In advance of an assaulting line, he attacked a detachment of about 25 of the enemy. In the ensuing hand-to-hand encounter he sustained pistol wounds, but heroically continued in the advance, during which he received additional wounds: but, with great physical effort, he remained in active command of his detachment. Being again wounded, he was forced by weakness and loss of blood to be evacuated, but insisted upon being taken first to the battalion commander in order to transmit to him valuable information relative to enemy positions and the disposition of our men.

Death and Burial

Sergeant Richard William O'Neill died on 9 April 1982. He is buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, NY.



Honoree ID: 1801   Created by: MHOH

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