WWI · Battle Death Record
Erwin Bleckley
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Service · Kansas
Medal of Honor
Personnel File — Core Information
- Name
- Erwin Bleckley
- Entered the Service From
- Kansas
- Rank
- Second Lieutenant
- Service
- U.S. Army Air Service
- Unit / Regiment
- 130th Field Artillery; observer with 50th Aero Squadron, Air Service
- War
- WWI
- Date of Death
- October 6, 1918
- Awards
- Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross
- Burial / Memorial
- Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France
- Grave
- Plot F, Row 25, Grave 33
Their story
As an aerial observer with the 50th Aero Squadron, 2d Lt. Bleckley and pilot 1st Lt. Harold E. Goettler flew low over German-held territory near Binarville, France, on October 6, 1918, attempting to deliver supplies to the cut-off "Lost Battalion" of the 77th Division in the Argonne Forest. On their second sortie they descended to a dangerously low altitude to pinpoint the battalion's location; their aircraft was riddled by enemy ground fire, mortally wounding Bleckley, who died before he could be taken to a hospital.
Compiled from American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) and National Archives (NARA) records and public sources.
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