World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. He received the award posthumously in October 1943 for his actions as a B-25 Mitchell aircraft pilot major with the 405th Bombardment Squadron, 38th Bomb Group (Medium), US Army Air Corps, on August 18, 1943. After graduating from high school, he attended Lehigh University at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, but dropped out in his junior year to join the US Army Air Corps in 1940 to become a military aviator. Following his training in Texas, he earned his wings and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant and flew B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft on reconnaissance missions in Florida. When the US entered World War II, he advanced to the rank of captain and in August 1942 led the first squadron of B-25 aircraft to Australia, and then to Port Moresby in Papua, New Guinea. On March 3, 1943, during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, he led the 405th Bomb Squadron in the first daylight "masthead" (low level) attack against a Japanese shipping convoy, one of the first skip bombing raids. Then on August 18, 1943, while on a bombing mission on Japanese positions, his aircraft was shot down by Japanese aircraft and crashed into the sea. Initially he was believed to have been killed in the crash, but post war evidence later revealed that he survived the crash and was captured, then executed in March 1944 by the Japanese while a prisoner of war at Rabaul, New Guinea. What are believed to be his and other similarly executed POWs remains were eventually recovered are now interred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri. Among his other military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, and the Air Medal. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy. While Maj. Cheli was leading his squadron in a dive to attack the heavily defended Dagua Airdrome, intercepting enemy aircraft centered their fire on his plane, causing it to burst into flames while still 2 miles from the objective. His speed would have enabled him to gain necessary altitude to parachute to safety, but this action would have resulted in his formation becoming disorganized and exposed to the enemy. Although a crash was inevitable, he courageously elected to continue leading the attack in his blazing plane. From a minimum altitude, the squadron made a devastating bombing and strafing attack on the target. The mission completed, Maj. Cheli instructed his wingman to lead the formation and crashed into the sea."