Ralph Cheli
| Maj Ralph Cheli United States Army Air Forces | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 29, 1919 San Francisco, California |
| Died | March 6, 1944 (aged 24) |
| Place of burial | Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery St. Louis, Missouri |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch | United States Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | 1940 - 1944 |
| Rank | Major |
| Commands held | 405th Bombardment Squadron, 38th Bomb Group (Medium) |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |
Medal of Honor Distinguished Flying Cross Purple Heart Air Medal |
Ralph Cheli (pronounced "Kelly" /ˈkɛli/; October 29, 1919—March 6, 1944) was a major in the United States Army Air Forces and a recipient of the Medal of Honor. He served as the commanding officer of the 405th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) in the Fifth Air Force's 38th Bombardment Group, based at Durand Airfield, Port Moresby, New Guinea.
On August 18, 1943, while leading his group of B-25 Mitchells on a low level attack of two Japanese airfields, his bomber was severely damaged. Cheli pressed the attack despite the battle damage, then crash-landed his bomber at sea. He was made a prisoner-of-war and on March 6, 1944, was executed by his captors. During the period when his status was unknown, Cheli was nominated for the Medal of Honor, which he was awarded in October 1943.
Born in San Francisco to Alfred and Julia Cheli, he attended Lehigh University as member of the class of 1941. In February 1940, during his junior year, he left Lehigh to enlist in the USAAF as an aviation cadet. He undertook primary flying training at Tulsa, Oklahoma; basic flight training at Randolph Field, Texas; and multi-engine advanced training at Kelly Field, Texas.
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