Richard L. Cevoli
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Richard L. Cevoli | |
---|---|
Born | 1919 East Greenwich, Rhode Island |
Died | January 18, 1955 |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Navy |
Rank | Commander |
Commands | Squadron VF-73 |
Battles/wars | World War II Battle of Leyte Gulf Korean War |
Awards | Navy Cross Distinguished Flying Cross(2) Air Medal(8) |
Richard L. Cevoli (October 24, 1919 – January 18, 1955) served in the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean War as a decorated pilot.[1]
Pre-military
Cevoli, a lifelong resident of East Greenwich, graduated from La Salle Academy and from Rhode Island State College where he earned a degree in civil engineering. He worked for an engineering firm, Merritt, Chapman & Scott, and joined the Navy a month after the attack on Pearl Harbor.[2]
Military career
World War II
While serving with Squadron VF-18 based on the U.S.S. Intrepid, Cevoli and other members of the squadron strafed a Japanese battleship, silencing many of its guns. The following day, he scored a hit with a 500lb bomb and disabled a Japanese aircraft carrier. Cevoli is also credited with four confirmed air victories and three probables during the battle for the Philippines and Leyte Gulf.[3]
Korean War
From 1949 until 1951, Commander Cevoli served as the Executive Officer in Squadron VF-32 on board the USS Leyte. In the winter of 1950, Cevoli and his pilots provided close in air support against 70,000 Chinese soldiers crossing the Yalu River and enabled 30,000 United Nations soldiers to escape encirclement. Cevoli was also division leader for Thomas J. Hudner Jr. and Jesse L. Brown and radioed for help when Brown was shot down on 4 December 1950.[4]
Post-war service
After the war, Commander Cevoli graduated from the Naval War College. In 1954 he assumed command of Squadron VF-73. He died when his plane crashed during a training mission.[5]
Awards and honors
- Navy Cross
- Distinguished Flying Cross with one gold award star
- Air Medal with 7 gold award stars
- Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame - 2005[6]
- A post office in East Greenwich was named after him - 2006[7]
See also
References
- ^ Lisa Vernon-Sparks. "East Greenwich post office to be named for Navy flier on Sunday". Archived from the original on 2011-06-28. Retrieved 2007-10-21.
- ^ Senator Jack Reed. "Floor Statement on Legislation to Name East Greenwich Post Office for Commander Richard L. Cevoli". Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2007-10-21.
- ^ "Richard L. Cevoli". Hall of Valor Project. Military Times. 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ Lloyd Norman (31 March 1951). "Navy to Confer Top Honor on Fighter Pilot". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ^ "Quonset Flier Killed". The Newport Daily News. 20 January 1955. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Inductees". riahof.org. Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame. 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
Commander Richard L. Cevoli, USN (1919-1955)
- ^ "Public Law 109-310" (PDF). congress.gov. U.S. Congress. 6 October 2006. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
The post office located at 5755 Post Road, East Greenwich, Rhode Island, shall be known and designated as the Richard L. Cevoli Post Office.
- 1919 births
- 1955 deaths
- United States Navy officers
- Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
- Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
- American naval personnel of World War II
- American naval personnel of the Korean War
- United States Navy pilots of World War II
- American Korean War pilots
- Recipients of the Air Medal
- Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents
- Naval War College alumni
- University of Rhode Island alumni
- American civil engineers
- People from East Greenwich, Rhode Island
- 20th-century American engineers
- Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1955