Medal of Honor: Richard W. O’Neil – World War I, July 30, 1918

Richard W. O’Neil
Rank: Sergeant
Conflict: World War I
Unit: Company D, 165th Infantry, 42nd Division
Date of Action: July 30, 1918
Location: On the Ourcq River, France

Summary of Action:
The Ourcq River was red with blood in the summer of 1918. Along its tangled banks and shattered wheatfields, the Rainbow Division pushed forward against fierce German resistance. In the vanguard of that charge was a tough, streetwise Irish-American from New York—Sergeant Richard O’Neil.

On July 30th, as the assaulting line advanced toward the enemy’s heavily entrenched positions, O’Neil surged ahead, spotting a detachment of approximately 25 German soldiers threatening to break the line. Without waiting for support, he led his men forward and launched a brutal hand-to-hand assault. Amid the frenzy of bayonets and rifle butts, he was shot by a pistol—but kept fighting. Then he was wounded again. And again.

Refusing to yield, O’Neil continued to command his detachment even as blood poured from his wounds. He drove his men forward, inspiring them to hold fast and press the attack. Only when his body could take no more—when the blood loss made it impossible to stand—did he allow himself to be evacuated. But even then, his thoughts were of the mission.

Instead of seeking aid, O’Neil insisted on being brought first to the battalion commander. There, with fading strength, he relayed critical intelligence about enemy positions and the disposition of American forces. Only then did he allow himself to be taken to the rear. He had given everything but his life—and nearly that—for his brothers in arms.

Medal of Honor 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.