Richard W. O'Neill
{{short description|U.S. Army Medal of Honor recipient}}
{{other people|Richard O'Neill}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Richard W. O'Neill
|birth_date= {{Birth date|1897|8|28}}
|death_date= {{Death date and age|1982|4|9|1897|8|28}}
|image=Richard W. O'Neill.jpg
|caption=From 1935's Forward--March!: The Photographic Record of America in the World War and the Post War Social Upheaval
|birth_place= New York City, New York
|death_place= Valhalla, New York
|placeofburial= Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, New York
|placeofburial_label= Place of burial
|allegiance=United States of America
|branch=United States Army
|serviceyears=1916-1923
|servicenumber=89741
|rank= Sergeant (at time of Medal of Honor action)
Second Lieutenant (at time of discharge)
|unit= Company D, 165th Infantry Regiment, 42nd Division
|commands=
|battles=Pancho Villa Expedition
World War I
|awards=Medal of Honor
|relations=
|laterwork=Liquor store owner
Veterans' advocate
}}
Richard William O'Neill (August 28, 1897 – April 9, 1982) was a soldier in the United States Army who served during World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions, and went on to receive numerous other decorations to recognize his wartime heroism.
Born and educated in New York City, O'Neill joined the New York National Guard's 69th Infantry Regiment in 1916, and served with the unit in Texas during the Pancho Villa Expedition. He continued to serve with his regiment during World War I, when it was re-designated as the 165th Infantry. He received the Medal of Honor to recognize his heroism during combat along the Ourcq River in July 1918; O'Neill was wounded more than 10 times, and all the soldiers he was leading were killed. Despite his wounds, O'Neill made his way back to friendly lines to pass on information about enemy positions, which enabled U.S. troops to successfully press the attack. When he was awarded the medal in 1921, he was still recuperating at Fordham Hospital, so the presentation was made by Ferdinand Foch at Fordham University. He later received additional valor awards from several foreign countries.
After recuperating, O'Neill worked in construction and as a salesman before purchasing a liquor store, which he operated until his retirement. During World War II he worked for the Office of Strategic Services; the agency's head, William J. Donovan, had been O'Neill's World War I commander, and Donovan employed O'Neill in an effort to identify and apprehend potential German spies or collaborators in the northeastern United States. O'Neill was also active in several veterans organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.
O'Neill died in Valhalla, New York and was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.
Early life
O'Neill was born in New York City on August 28, 1897,{{sfn|America's Heroes|pages=248-249}}{{sfn|"New York Military Service Cards"}} the son of John O'Neill, an Irish immigrant from Liverpool, England, and Ella O'Neill.{{sfn|"Sergeant Richard W. O'Neill and the First World War"}} He was educated in New York City, and began to box professionally; he won 12 fights during his brief career.{{sfn|America's Heroes|pages=248-249}} At age 18 he joined the New York National Guard's 69th Infantry Regiment.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} He served in Texas during the Pancho Villa Expedition, and shortly after returning home, the regiment was mobilized for World War I and re-designated as the 165th Infantry Regiment.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}}
World War I
By now a sergeant, O'Neill served with his regiment in France.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} During a combat action along the Ourcq River on July 30, 1918, O'Neill led a detachment of soldiers in a reconnaissance to determine the location of German artillery positions.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} O'Neill was wounded repeatedly, and the other soldiers of his detachment were killed, but O'Neill succeeded in returning to friendly lines and providing details on the location of the German artillery.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} As a result, U.S. troops were able to destroy the positions and successfully press the attack.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} O'Neill was hospitalized, but later violated doctor's orders and returned to his unit, serving until he was wounded again.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} At the end of the war in November 1918, O'Neill was still hospitalized in the United States.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}}
Post-World War I
Following the end of the war, O'Neill continued to convalesce.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} Doctors recommended amputation of his legs, which O'Neill refused, and he was eventually able to walk unaided.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} According to family members, for the rest of his life O'Neill would occasionally remove from his legs pieces of shrapnel that worked their way to the surface of his skin.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}}
In 1921, O'Neill was awarded the Medal of Honor to recognize his heroism in the Ourcq River action.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} Because he was still recuperating at Fordham Hospital, the Army permitted Ferdinand Foch to make the presentation in a ceremony at Fordham University.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} In addition to the Medal of Honor, O'Neill later received medals from several foreign countries in recognition of his heroic actions.{{sfn|"Congressional Medal Winner, O'Neill, Dies"|pages=A1, A6}} Also in 1921, O'Neill was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the New York National Guard;{{sfn|"New York Military Service Cards"}} he held this rank until resigning from the military in 1923.{{sfn|"New York Military Service Cards"}}
Career
After his recovery, O'Neill attended extension courses in construction at the City College of New York,{{sfn|"Sergeant Richard W. O'Neill and the First World War"}} and worked as a concrete pourer during the construction of the George Washington Bridge.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} He later worked in sales, and then purchased a liquor store near the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, which he operated until retiring in the early 1960s.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}}
O'Neill also became active in New York's Republican Party, including speeches on behalf of candidates,{{sfn|"Police Protect Speaker"|page=12}} and speeches at fundraising dinners and other events.{{sfn|"Richard W. O'Neill Republican Speaker"|page=5}}
World War II
During World War II, O'Neill was employed by the Office of Strategic Services.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} The head of the OSS, William J. Donovan, had been O'Neill's World War I commander, and he hired O'Neill as part of an initiative to investigate potential German collaborators in New England and New York.{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}}
Veterans advocate
O'Neill was active in several veterans' organizations, including the Catholic War Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and American Legion.{{sfn|"Congressional Medal Winner, O'Neill, Dies"|pages=A1, A6}} In 1932, he resigned as state chairman of the Disabled American Veterans because of disagreement with other veterans over the activities of the Bonus Army.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=April 29, 1932 |title=Fool's Paradise is O'Neill's Name for Bonus, if Paid |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/52742093/ |work=Bonham Daily Favorite |location=Bonham, TX |page=1 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} O'Neill opposed early payment of the bonus due to World War I veterans who advocated early payment in order to help them cope with the effects of the Great Depression; the DAV favored it by a vote of 3 to 1.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=April 29, 1932 |title=Economist and Soldier Oppose Bonus Payment |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/280024130/ |work=The Daily Times |location=Salisbury, MD |page=6 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Economist and Soldier Oppose Bonus Payment"}}}} O'Neill argued that the payments would be too small to make a meaningful difference to the veterans who received it, and that the government should do more to aid them with job creation and medical care.{{sfn|"Economist and Soldier Oppose Bonus Payment"|page=6}}
O'Neill served as executive director of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.{{sfn|"Medal of Honor Heroes Avoid Talk About War"|page=6A}} In addition, he made frequent public appearances, including serving as grand marshal of Memorial Day parades{{sfn|"Memorial Day Parade in Bronxville Tuesday"|page=1}} and marching at 1960s demonstrations in support of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.{{sfn|"Medal of Honor Winners on Parade"|page=1}}
Death and burial
O'Neill died at a nursing home in Valhalla, New York on April 9, 1982.{{sfn|"Congressional Medal Winner, O'Neill, Dies"|pages=A1, A6}} He was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.{{sfn|America's Heroes|page=250}}
Family
In 1921, O'Neill married Estelle Johnson (1897-1985);{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}} they were the parents of a son, William Donovan O'Neill (1927-2009).{{sfn|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}}
O'Neill's sister Rose was married to Edward J. Geaney,{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com |title= Rose V. O'Neill and Edward J. Geaney in the New York, New York Marriage Certificate Index, 1866-1937 |date=April 15, 1917 |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com. LLC |location=Provo, UT |access-date=October 11, 2017}} who was also a World War I veteran of the 69th Infantry.{{cite news |date=July 6, 1921 |title=Congress Honors New York Heroes |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1921/07/06/98708151.pdf |work=New York Times |location=New York, NY |page=2 |ref={{sfnRef|"Congress Honors New York Heroes"}}}} Geaney was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism for the same action for which O'Neill received the Medal of Honor.{{sfn|"Congress Honors New York Heroes"|page=2}} While serving as a company first sergeant, and though wounded himself, Geaney succeeded in rescuing a wounded officer who was unable to move and so vulnerable to continued enemy fire.{{sfn|"Congress Honors New York Heroes"|page=2}} Geaney received his medal during the same ceremony at which O'Neill was honored.{{sfn|"Congress Honors New York Heroes"|page=2}}
Legacy
In 1975, Governor Hugh Carey designated an office building at the National Guard's Camp Smith training facility as O'Neill Hall, in honor of Richard O'Neill.{{sfn|"Congressional Medal Winner, O'Neill, Dies"|pages=A1, A6}}
Medal of Honor Citation
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 165th Infantry, 42d Division. Place and date: On the Ourcq River, France; July 30, 1918. Entered service at: New York, New York. Birth: August 28, 1898; New York, New, York. General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 30 (July 15, 1921).
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.{{Cite web |publisher=Army of Medal of Honor website |title=O'Neill, Richard W. |date=2009-08-03 |url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/worldwari.html |accessdate=2009-08-22 |archive-date=2008-10-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081018140904/http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/worldwari.html |url-status=dead }}
Military Awards
O'Neill's military decorations and awards include:
| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Medal of Honor ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Purple Heart BAR.svg|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|ribbon=Mexican Border Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=5|type=service-star|ribbon=World War I Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Medaille militaire ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=CroixdeGuerreFR-BronzePalm.png|width=106}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=palm|ribbon=Croce di guerra al merito BAR.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Montenegro Military Medal for Bravery.jpg|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=PRT Military Order of Aviz - Knight BAR.svg|width=106}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=palm|ribbon=Romania_Military_Virtue_Medal.jpg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=SRB Orden Belog Orla BAR.svg|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Conspicuous_Service_Cross.PNG|width=106}} |
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
!1st row | colspan="3"| Medal of Honor | colspan="3"|Purple Heart | colspan="3"|Mexican Border Service Medal |
| 2nd row
| colspan="3"|World War I Victory Medal | colspan="3"|Médaille militaire | colspan="3"|Croix de guerre 1914–1918 |
|---|
| 3rd row
| colspan="3"|Croce al Merito di Guerra | colspan="3"|Medal for Military Bravery | colspan="3"|Ordem Militar de Avis |
| 4th row
| colspan="3"|Ordinul Steaua României | colspan="3"|Order of the White Eagle with swords | colspan="3"|Conspicuous Service Cross |
See also
{{Portal|Biography}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Sources
=Books=
- {{cite book |last=Willbanks |first=Jim |date=2011 |title=America's Heroes: Medal of Honor Recipients from the Civil War to Afghanistan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y-FQ_ueG4AwC&pg=PA249 |location=Santa Barbara, CA |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-59884-393-4 |ref={{sfnRef|America's Heroes}}}}
=Internet=
- {{cite web |url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mcnamarasblog/2011/05/sergeant-richard-w-o%E2%80%99neill-and-the-first-world-war.html |title=Sergeant Richard W. O'Neill and the First World War |last=McNamara |first=Pat |date=May 27, 2011 |website=McNamara's Blog |publisher=Patheos.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Sergeant Richard W. O'Neill and the First World War"}}}}
- {{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com/ |title=New York Military Service Cards, 1816-1979: World War I and inter-war Era Officers; Nurzey - Smock |last=New York National Guard |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com, LLC |location=Provo, UT |access-date=October 8, 2017 |ref={{sfnRef|"New York Military Service Cards"}}}}
=Newspapers=
- {{cite news |work=New-York Tribune|volume=|title=N. Y. Man Who Attacked 25 Germans Gets Honor Medal| location=New York [N.Y.]|page=5|date= 6 July 1921| via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress.|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1921-07-06/ed-1/seq-5/}}
- {{cite news |date=October 26, 1928 |title=Police Protect Speaker |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/57575614/ |work=Brooklyn Daily Eagle |location=Brooklyn, NY |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Police Protect Speaker"}}}}
- {{cite news |date=February 6, 1941 |title=Richard W. O'Neill Republican Speaker |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/40173754/ |work=Middletown Times Herald |location=Middletown, NY |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Richard W. O'Neill Republican Speaker"}}}}
- {{cite news |agency=International News Service |date=November 11, 1956 |title=Medal of Honor Heroes Avoid Talk About War |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/236608063/ |work=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, CT |page=6A |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Medal of Honor Heroes Avoid Talk About War"}}}}
- {{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=October 31, 1965 |title=Medal of Honor Winners on Parade |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/162660137/ |work=Arizona Daily Star |location=Tucson, AZ |page=1 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Medal of Honor Winners on Parade"}}}}
- {{cite news |date=May 25, 1967 |title=Memorial Day Parade in Bronxville Tuesday |url=https://news.hrvh.org/veridian/cgi-bin/senylrc?a=d&d=bronxvillereviewpressreporterBRONXVILLE19670525.1.1# |work=bronxville Review Press-Reporter |location=Bronxville, NY |page=1 |via=HRVH Historical Newspapers |ref={{sfnRef|"Memorial Day Parade in Bronxville Tuesday"}}}}
- {{cite news |date=April 15, 1982 |title=Congressional Medal Winner, O'Neill, Dies |url=https://news.hrvh.org/veridian/cgi-bin/senylrc?a=d&d=bronxvillereviewpressreporterBRONXVILLE19820415.1.1# |work=Bronxville Review Press-Reporter |location=Bronxville, NY |via=HRVH Historical Newspapers |ref={{sfnRef|"Congressional Medal Winner, O'Neill, Dies"}}}}
- {{cite news |last=Stites |first=Sam |date=July 13, 2017 |title=Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill |url=http://portlandtribune.com/lor/48-news/366072-247073-telling-their-stories-legend-of-sgt-oneill |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721224526/http://portlandtribune.com/lor/48-news/366072-247073-telling-their-stories-legend-of-sgt-oneill |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 21, 2017 |work=Lake Oswego Review |location=Lake Oswego, OR |ref={{sfnRef|"Telling Their Stories: Legend of Sgt. O'Neill"}}}}
External links
{{Commons category|Richard W. O'Neill}}
- {{Find a Grave|7863978|work=Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients|accessdate=2009-08-15}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneill, Richard W.}}
Category:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
Category:United States Army soldiers
Category:United States Army personnel of World War I
Category:Military personnel from New York City
Category:World War I recipients of the Medal of Honor
Category:New York (state) Republicans
Category:American recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)
Category:Recipients of the War Cross for Military Valor
Category:Knights of the Order of Aviz
Category:Knights of the Order of the Star of Romania
Category:Burials at Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Hawthorne, New York)