Minuteman Minute | Erwin Bleckley and the ‘Lost Battalion’

When the famous “Lost Battalion” was cut off, Erwin Bleckley of the Kansas National Guard volunteered to locate them. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his gallantry.

Hi, I’m Will Roulett, director of the National Guard Memorial Museum here in D.C., and this is your Minuteman Minute! This is 2nd Lt. Erwin Bleckley, who commissioned as an officer in the Kansas National Guard in 1917. The following year, he was in France and volunteered as an aerial observer for the 50th Aero Squadron. During the Meuse–Argonne offensive, a battalion of the 77th Infantry Division was cut off and in desperate need of relief. On Oct. 6, 1918, Bleckley and his pilot had just returned through withering fire following an attempt to locate the “Lost Battalion,” as it became known. Without regard for their safety, they volunteered for a second attempt, flying even lower. During this flight, their battered plane was forced to land when both men were wounded. Bleckley died before reaching a hospital, but his notes helped locate the battalion. The two men received the Medal of Honor posthumously, and their action is depicted in our Medal of Honor Gallery. Come see this – and a whole lot more – at the National Guard Memorial Museum. I’m Will Roulett, and that’s been your Minuteman Minute, brought to you by the National Guard Educational Foundation.