Erwin Russell Bleckley

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Air Service) Erwin Russell Bleckley, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action as an Observer in the 50th Aero Squadron, 130th Field Artillery, Air Service, A.E.F., at Binarville, France, 6 October 1918. Second Lieutenant Bleckley, with his pilot, First Lieutenant Harold E. Goettler, Air Service, left the airdrome late in the afternoon on their second trip to drop supplies to a battalion of the 77th Division, which had been cut off by the enemy in the Argonne Forest. Having been subjected on the first trip to violent fire from the enemy, they attempted on the second trip to come still lower in order to get the packages even more precisely on the designated spot. In the course of his mission the plane was brought down by enemy rifle and machinegun fire from the ground, resulting in fatal wounds to Second Lieutenant Bleckley, who died before he could be taken to a hospital. In attempting and performing this mission Second Lieutenant Bleckley showed the highest possible contempt of personal danger, devotion to duty, courage, and valor.