Medal of honor DH-4

[CaptainLewis]

Dear Captain Lewis,

Had you but read the book that you have in your possession, Bloody April... Black September, you would have noted that Guest mentioned that Woods "has been variously quoted as being on the 12th, 13th, and 14th."

Obviously, while the weather on the 12th was bad, there was some activity: D'Olive scored a victory, Putnam was shot down and killed, and Luke scored his first confirmed victory (against a baloon), just to cite a few...

Further, Guest reports that Philbrick "of the 28th fell in flames", on 18 Sept '18, near Chambley, most likely under the guns of a pilot from Jasta 13.

Please get your facts straight next time before posting; on the other hand, should you ever wish to go off 'half-cocked' again, be- ahem- my guest...

Besides that, I enjoy your posts immensely.

VBR,
Captain Lewis

[Lufbery]

Captain Lewis,

Isn't talking to one's self a sign of lunacy?

In any event, I'm terribly confused by this thread. I've read a couple of accounts of the air actions associated with the Lost Batallion story. One is very heroic but has been pointed out on this board to be somewhat fanciful.

Just what is your best guess as to the way events transpired?

Thanks,

[CaptainLewis]

Dear Drubery,
Always good to see you here at the good ol' Forum, Drew.

My best guess is that it was Anderson and Rogers who actually found the battalion, i.e., noted its co-ordinates and were able to report back to squadron.

As for Goettler and Bleckley, they spotted it as well, but, owing to their crashlanding and the lateness of the hour, their findings probably arrived later than Anderson and Rogers'. This is speculation on my part, however...

The point being, we remember Goettler and Bleckley, for their story is the more impressive and dramatic; so much so, that the collective mind remembers them as being the ones who found the battalion. Yet, if I remember correctly, no such thing was claimed in their MoH citation-- they were awarded for their sacrifice, and not because their mission was successful (which it was and wasn't, depending on your point of view...).

One more point worth mentioning: the 50th Sqn suffered greatly on that fateful day of 6 Oct-- they had their mission, to find the battalion, and the facts show that they were willing to do whatever it took, "at all costs", to accomplish that mission. Goettler and Bleckley weren't their only casualties...

So, Drew, the best thing to do? Please refer to Hudson's Hostile Skies, as it gives the best and clearest account of what transpired "that flaming Sunday afternoon..."

(In a recent posting, about a "'Lost' Battalion" website, I noted the incredible lengths and efforts man will go to in order to save his fellow man).

VBR, and my regards to your better half,
Captain Lewis

[BobE]

Wandering over from my other redundant thread on the subject, I have a few more questions.
I am looking at an old Profile publication three view of a "50th Sq." DH4 and comparing it to the illustrations in " Home of Heroes" web site.
Profile shows:
Upper surfaces dark brown.
Sides and rudder clear doped.
Rondels in mid wing positions.
No number on upper wing.
Number 18 on fuselage.
Little Dutch Girl in dark green dress.
Serial # 32098

"Heroes" shows:
Upper surfaces clear doped.
Sides and rudder white.
Rondels in standard wing tip positions.
Large #2 on upper right wing.
Number 2 on fuselage sides.
Little Dutch Girl in light blue dress.
Serial # 32169

Help!!!

* * * * * * * * * * * *Bob E :

[saruffin]

This may be redundant by this point in the discussion, but I do have some unique first-hand information regarding Goettler and Bleckley's DH-4.

Back in the late 1970s I was close friends with Floyd Pickrell, who had been one of Goettler's squadronmates. Just before noon on Oct 6, 1918, Lt. Pickrell, with Lt. Alfred George as his observer, flew the first mission of the 50th Aero Squadron to drop supplies (food, clothing, ammunition, carrier pigeons) to the "Lost Battalion" in DH-4 #6.

According to transcripts I have of my interviews with Mr. Pickrell, he flew a second mission over the lines that day, on both trips taking heavy fire from the ground. After being told he was not scheduled to fly again that day, his DH-4 #6 was taken out of service and put into the hangar.

Later, Pickrell's flight commander, "Dad" Goettler, came to him and said, "Pick, I'm having motor trouble [fouled spark plugs were a chronic problem with the Liberty engine at this time] You're not flying. Can I borrow your plane?" Pickrell responded, "Sure, you didn't have to ask me; you're my flight commander." But Pickrell said that this was the kind of guy Goettler was. Goettler and Bleckley subsequently took off on their second mission of the day in Pickrell's #6 and never returned.

That night 50th Aero Squadron commander, Captain Daniel Morse, led Pickrell, Lt. "Tommy" Thomson and Lt. Howard Darrin out to the flying field to build a fire. They kept it blazing until well after dark, hoping to guide Goettler and Bleckley home. For the rest of the war, Pickrell flew Goettler's DH-4 #2.

The entire squadron effort was heroic in nature. Out of the 50th Aero Squadron, a total of 23 pilots/observers participated in the support of the "Lost Battalion," with 6 officers (3 airplanes) shot down, 2 killed and 1 wounded. They all deserved medals. Goettler and Bleckley were killed, so they were awarded the DSC, later upgraded to the MOH.

The story of the 50th Aero Squadron's role in rescuing the "Lost Battalion" has been told so many ways, I'm not sure anyone really knows all that really happened. Floyd Pickrell died in Independence, MO in 1996 at the age of 98. Hope this was of interest. sar

[BobE]

That was hardly redundant Saruffin. You came up with the definitive solution to the "Number six" question. Nothing like first hand info.
Thanks, Bob E

[CaptainLewis]

Dear Saruffin,
You deserve induction into The Forum's Legion of Honor for that wonderful post...

Just to bring us "up to date" on the casualties of the 50th Aero Sqn, here's what Hudson wrote ( Hostile Skies, pages 267-268), beginning with Goettler and Bleckley's first mission of 6 Oct 1918:

"On the last long pass over the supposed location of Whittlesey's men, Goettler brought his De Havilland down to less than 200 feet. At this level the enemy's fire was murderous. German machine gunners located on the ridges were actually firing down at the American plane. Still, Goettler and Bleckley could see not panel signals or any signs of an American uniform. For their valiant try they picked up at least forty bullet holes in their DH-4.

"Several other 50th Squadron fliers were not so lucky on that flaming Sunday afternoon. Lieutenant Francis C. Slater was wounded in the foot and bearely succeeded in getting home. Lieutenants George Phillips and Michael Brown flew into a hail of machine gun fire which smashed the pilot's windshield and tore out the instrument panel. A few moments later the Liberty engine died at 300 feet. Barly skimming the trees, Phillips got his plane down in No-Man's Land, and the two men escaped by crawling from shell hole to shell hole back to the Allied lines. Lieutenantes Allen Tracy Bird and William Bolt were forced to crash-land their badly damaged plane at Vienne-le-Chateau, just behind the American positions.

"Late in the day the squadron suffered it heaviest blow. Goettler and Bleckley, the two who had started the day's work, volunteered for a second mission...

"As the sun dropped below the horizon, Lieutenant Maurice Graham, of Monrovia, California, and Lieutenant James McCurdy, of Century, Florida, completed what Goettler and Bleckley had started. McCurdy was shot through the neck, but Graham got him home in time to save his life.

"...During the night of 6-7 October, the desperate infantrymen crawled through the darkness to lay out panels marking their position. Lieutenants Robert M. Anderson and W. J. Rogers, flying the 50th Squadron's first mission on the morning of 7 October, spotted these markers and raced full throttle to the 77th Division's dropping ground with the new and accurate coordinates..."

[Lufbery]

INCREDIBLE THREAD!!!!

Wow. I've learned quite a bit about this whole incident. Thanks Captain Lewis and Saruffin. It truly is amazing what people will do for their fellow men in times of crisis.

From a lot of what I've read, one get's the sense that pilots felt they had it easier than the typical infantryman and they felt that their job was really to support the war on the ground.

Regards,

One thing consistently heard from (surviving) winners of the MOH and other high honors is that they want to all to know that the award represents similar sacrifices made by many of their comrades. Most of them are rather self-conscious on this point.

I'll second Lufbery's 'put: This info is like gold - Thanks *very* much for the responses, everybody!

VonL

[BobE]

Yes. This was a really great thread. Filled in a big blank page for me. Thank you guys very much.
Bob E