The regular meeting of the Susannah French Putney Chapter was held on Nov. 15, in El Dorado, at the Butler County Historical Society (BCHS), Energy Education Center. Following a brief meeting, a very interesting presentation was enjoyed by the members.
Guest speakers Greg Zuercher, Doug Jacobs and Floyd Moody, from the Bleckley Foundation, presented a program about Wichita’s highest decorated aviator, Lt. Erwin Bleckley.
Bleckley was born and raised in Wichita. After enlisting in the Kansas National Guard, he was commissioned in July 1917 and trained as a backseat gunner and pilot in the Air Service. Bleckley and pilot, Lt. Harold Goettler, played a key role in three of the most significant events of WWI: 1) Was part of the newly formed US Army Air Service, specifically the 50th Aero Squadron 2) Participated in the Meuse-Argonne (France) Offensive in the Fall of 1918 that ended the war 3) Participated in a mission to rescue the “Lost Battalion” The “Lost Battalion” was a name given by a reporter, to nine companies of the US 77th Division of the US Army Infantry that became isolated and surrounded by German forces in the Argonne Forest in France in October, 1918. During the next several days, the battalion suffered many hardships and loss of life. They ran out of food, water and other supplies. Without knowing their exact location, at times, not only were the Germans firing upon them, but the Allied Forces were as well. In an attempt to locate the men, planes were used for reconnaissance to find the units under fire. They also were to drop supplies, but most of the drops ended up landing in the hands of the Germans.
The last of these flights were conducted by Bleckley and Goettler on Oct. 6, 1918. That fateful afternoon, they flew over the area trying to pinpoint where the lost battalion was. By drawing German gun fire, they also knew the location of the enemy. During the first flyover, their airplane was riddled by bullets. The men were able to return to their base at Remicourt, but were told they could no longer use their beloved #2 plane.
Goettler and Bleckley were determined to return and finally were allowed to borrow the identical #6 airplane belonging to Lt. Floyd Pickrell.
Late that afternoon, they were flying just above the treetops to map the area and to determine where each group was located. They descended into a ravine in which the Germans could shoot down at the aircraft. Ultimately, Goettler was killed causing the plane to lose control and crash. Bleckley was thrown from the plane and badly injured.
He was rescued by French soldiers, but they were unable to save his life. For their actions, posthumously, both were awarded The Medal of Honor.
Why was it so difficult to find this group of soldiers? Why didn’t they just reach for their cell phones or walkie talkies? Certainly, GPS would have saved them some time and effort! In 1918 these technologies did not exist. Communication was done by carrier pigeon. One special pigeon named “Cher Ami” finally was able to deliver a message that identified the location of the lost battalion which aided in their eventual relief on the night of Oct. 7, 1918. Cher Ami received significant wounds on his return flight. He was a hero. His little body was donated to the Smithsonian Institute, taxidermized and is on periodic display.
The airplane that Goettler and Bleckley were flying was a de Havilland DH-4, a bi-plane! The Bleckley Foundation is restoring an identical DH-4 airplane which is the only remaining one of its kind. The airplane is being reconstructed following the original blueprints and will be flight worthy. This is a nonprofit organization and their goal, with the cooperation of the city of Wichita, is to place a memorial inside Dwight D. Eisenhower Airport to honor these two men and have a display about their heroism which revolves around the airplane. Including the airplane is also a tribute to Wichita’s title of “Air Capitol of the World.” For more information check out their website BleckleyFoundation.org.
Bleckley is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in France. Goettler is buried in Chicago, Ill.
SFP Members present: Teresa Bachman, Sue Ann Brown, Kay Catlin, Carla Cook, Janet Green, Jean Groendes, Loria Howard, Deborah Keplar, Sharon McClure, Kathy Morrow, Martha Riedl, Rise Russin, Nita Whiteman, Ann Wimberly and numerous guests.
The next meeting will be Dec. 20, at the BCHS in El Dorado at 1 p.m. for a Christmas sing-along. Guests are welcome.
(Courtesy photo)
