Castleman, John Rolfe
Title
Castleman, John Rolfe
Last Name
Castleman
First and Middle Name
John Rolfe
Biographical Text
From American legion post 41 Berryville, Virignia "First Lieutenant John Rolfe Castleman was Clarke County's first aviation hero. While serving with the 99th Aero Squadron of General John J. Pershing's American Expeditionary Forces during World War I, he had a terrific battle with twelve German airplanes high in the air near Romagne, France.
On October 5, 1918, 1LT Castleman, was pilot of a Salmson 2A2, that he flew over the German lines for the purpose of taking some pictures of the German activities. After getting the pictures, he started for his base, when seven German Fokker airplanes got between him and home. He at once opened fire with his machine gun and the Germans scattered with two of them falling rapidly and crashing. He was later attacked by five more enemy airplanes that he successfully scattered with machine gun fire. For his actions that day, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross—our Nation's second highest military medal for heroism.
John Rolfe Castleman was born at "Lynwood" in Clarke County on May 1, 1895. His father was John Randolph Castleman, who was a member of Mosby's Rangers during the Civil War.
In 1915, he enrolled at Virginia Tech where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets. When America entered World War I, he left school after his sophomore year and joined the Army Air Service. After his release from active duty in 1919, he returned to Virginia Tech and graduated in 1921 with a degree in civil engineering.
In 1923, he was appointed as an assistant professor of engineering at Virginia Tech. After forty-two years of service, he retired in 1965 as a professor of graphics in Tech's Engineering Department. He died on May 3, 1983 and is buried at Green Hill Cemetery in Berryville."
On October 5, 1918, 1LT Castleman, was pilot of a Salmson 2A2, that he flew over the German lines for the purpose of taking some pictures of the German activities. After getting the pictures, he started for his base, when seven German Fokker airplanes got between him and home. He at once opened fire with his machine gun and the Germans scattered with two of them falling rapidly and crashing. He was later attacked by five more enemy airplanes that he successfully scattered with machine gun fire. For his actions that day, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross—our Nation's second highest military medal for heroism.
John Rolfe Castleman was born at "Lynwood" in Clarke County on May 1, 1895. His father was John Randolph Castleman, who was a member of Mosby's Rangers during the Civil War.
In 1915, he enrolled at Virginia Tech where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets. When America entered World War I, he left school after his sophomore year and joined the Army Air Service. After his release from active duty in 1919, he returned to Virginia Tech and graduated in 1921 with a degree in civil engineering.
In 1923, he was appointed as an assistant professor of engineering at Virginia Tech. After forty-two years of service, he retired in 1965 as a professor of graphics in Tech's Engineering Department. He died on May 3, 1983 and is buried at Green Hill Cemetery in Berryville."
Hometown
Berryville, Virginia
Birth Date
May 1, 1895
Death Date
May 3, 1983
Place of Death
Blacksburg, Virignia
Parents
John Randolph Castleman, Laura Lee Francis
Siblings
Page Randolph, Francis Lee,
Spouse(s)
Mary Jaquelin Smith
VPI Graduating Class
Would have graduated in 1919, but he left to join the Army and returned to VPI to graduate in 1921
Undergraduate Major
Civil Engineering
Graduated
Yes
Service Branch
Army Air service
Unit
99th Aero Squadron
Rank
1st Lieutenant
Decorations or Citations
Distinguished Service Cross; Romagne, France, October 5, 1918
- Citation: "For extrodinary heroism in action near Romagne, France, October 5, 1918. In spite of being attacked by seven enemy planes (type Fokker), and later by five (type Pfalz), Lieutenant Castleman sucessfully accomplished a photographic mission six kolometers behind the GErman lines, without protection, and also destroyed two enemy planes."
- Citation: For gallantry in action near Cunel, France, October 5, 1918, while on a photographic mission."
Battles or Engagements
St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne
Postwar Life
Professor of Engineering at Virginia Tech
Occupation
Professor
1927 "Virginia Polytehnic Institute in the World War" booklet
Yes
Contributing Researchers
Connor Skelly
Bibliography
- Article about John R. Castleman in The Virginia Tech campus newspaper, 6 February 1919
Files
Collection
Citation
“Castleman, John Rolfe,” VPI in World War I, accessed November 21, 2024, https://vpiworldwarone.lib.vt.edu/items/show/408.
Comments (if you have information about a veteran or would like to talk about a veteran, also email the project director Daniel Newcomb at danieln1@vt.edu with your information or question)