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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource VPI Class of 1921 Person An individual. Last Name Castleman First and Middle Name John Rolfe Hometown Berryville, Virginia VPI Graduating Class In what VPI class did this individual graduate or what class should they have graduated from? Would have graduated in 1919, but he left to join the Army and returned to VPI to graduate in 1921 Undergraduate Major What did this individual major in while at VPI? Civil Engineering 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." 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 Graduated Yes or no, did this individual graduate from VPI? Yes Service Branch What branch of the military did this individual serve in? Army Air service Unit What unit or ship did this individual serve in or on? 99th Aero Squadron Rank What military rank did this individual hold? 1st Lieutenant Decorations or Citations Distinguished Service Cross; Romagne, France, October 5, 1918 <ul> <li>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."</li> </ul> Silver Star Citation: Cunel, France, October 5, 1918 <ul> <li>Citation: For gallantry in action near Cunel, France, October 5, 1918, while on a photographic mission."</li> </ul> The above citations were taken from pgs.27-28, Virginians of Distinguished Service of the World War, published by the Virginia War History Commission, 1923 Battles or Engagements What battles or engagements was this individual involved in during World War One? St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne Postwar Life What did this individual do after the war? Professor of Engineering at Virginia Tech Occupation Professor 1927 "Virginia Polytehnic Institute in the World War" booklet Did this individual appear in the 1927 booklet "Virginia Polytechnic Institute in the World War"? If so what page? Yes Contributing Researchers Connor Skelly Bibliography <ul> <li>Article about John R. Castleman in The Virginia Tech campus newspaper, 6 February 1919</li> <li>99th Aero Squadron officer group poster and group photo, ca. 1918, private collection of Daniel Newcomb, image courtesy of Daniel Newcomb</li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Castleman, John Rolfe