FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               Jan. 4, 2005
No. 150-05-001

PAINTING OF KANSAS GUARD MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT TO BE UNVEILED IN TOPEKA

An original oil painting depicting the valor of an historic Kansas aerial observer will be unveiled in a special ceremony on Jan. 8, 2005, at 1:30 p.m. at the Museum of the Kansas National Guard. The museum is located at 6700 SW Topeka Blvd. at the entrance of the Forbes Field Industrial Park, Topeka.

2nd Lt. Erwin Bleckley, the first of three National Guard aviators to receive the Medal of Honor during the 20th century, is prominently featured in the painting entitled “The Highest Possible Courage” by artist John D. Shaw. The painting is part of a larger collection depicting the National Guard in military action from earliest colonial times to Operation Desert Storm.

Bleckley was awarded the medal for his role in the rescue of the famous “Lost Battalion” of U.S. service members, which was surrounded by German troops during the World War I Battle of the Argonne in October 1918. Bleckley, a Wichita native and field artilleryman from the Kansas National Guard’s 130th Field Artillery Regiment, volunteered for forward observation duty with the Air Service and was attached to the 50th Aero Squadron, Army Air Service.

Bleckley and other members of the 50th Aero Squadron were assigned to locate and resupply the 1st Battalion, 308th Infantry, 77th Division, the "Lost Battalion" that had been completely cut off by German forces. Having failed to locate the battalion on their first mission of the day, Bleckley and his pilot, 1st Lt. Harold E. Goettler, volunteered for a second flight. They drew intense enemy fire while making several passes over the area and German machine gunners fired down at the flyers from the ridges, as well as from below. Badly wounded, they made a crash landing near a French outpost. The pilot was dead and Bleckley died before the French could evacuate him to a medical aid station. Bleckley’s notes from the mission narrowed the search area and the trapped soldiers were found. For this act of bravery, they received the Medal of Honor, posthumously.

Bleckley is also a member of the Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997. Bleckley Street in Wichita is named after him, as well as a U.S. troop ship and the Wichita Chapter of the Air Force Association.

The public is invited to the museum at 1:30 p.m. for the ceremony, which will include men and women currently serving in the National Guard, as well as members of the Board of Directors of the Guard Museum. The painting might be of special interest to aviators and art aficionados.

The Bleckley painting is on loan from the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C. This unveiling and display is one of many events across the State in the coming year celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Kansas National Guard. More information on the actual painting is available at: http://www.ngb.army.mil/gallery/heritage/highest_possible_courage.asp

The Museum of the National Guard is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information about the museum and Bleckley is available at www.kansasguardmuseum.org.

For more information, contact the Kansas Guard Museum at 785-862-1066.

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