Glen V Blakeslee

Is Awarded the Legion of Merit

LT.. GLEN V. BLAKESLEE
WASHINGTON, March 17 (AP) —
The Legion of Merit has been awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Anselm M. Keefe, former rector of St. Norbert College at DePere, WI; Lieutenant Glen Blakeslee, of Eau Claire, WI, and to three others from Wisconsin for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the Southwest Pacific war area, the War Department announced today.

Lieutenant Blakeslee is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Blakeslee, 1515 Woodland Avenue. He left Eau Claire with the National Guard in October 1940 and went to the Southwest Pacific with the 32nd Division.

The three others cited were Staff Sergeant Karl F. Bretschneider of Newburg, Washington County; Staff Sergeant Richard W. Gertenbach of 823 Blaine Boulevard, Racine; and Maurice S. Peterman, Technician Fifth Grade, Milwaukee.

Award to Colonel Keefe
The award to Lieutenant Colonel Keefe, who is in the Corps of Chaplains, was made for "exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services in the northern territory of Australia from June 11 to October 1, 1942.

"As chaplain of a medical regiment," the War Department stated, "Lieutenant Colonel Keefe regularly visited the widely separated elements of his organization. He provided religious service . . . cared particularly for the sick and wounded, writing letters for them and bringing them comforts. Chaplain Keefe, despite personal hardship, performed his office with such conspicuous success that he became an important factor in sustaining the morale of isolated troops."

To Lieutenant Blakeslee
The award to Lieutenant Blakeslee was for "exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services in New Guinea.

"Under adverse conditions of weather and terrain and frequently under enemy fire," the award stated, "he worked unremittingly to maintain communications, often performing the duties of lineman, radio man, or repair man."

The War Department said that diesel mechanic, Sergeant Bretschneider, kept heavy equipment--diesel and gasoline--operating day and night under trying and adverse climatic conditions in the tropics," in New Guinea. "Working very long hours, he improvised, from materials at hand, parts which equaled and, in some instances, excelled, the manufactured product."

Leadership Wins Lt. G. Blakeslee Legion of Merit

SOMEWHERE in NEW GUINEA —General Douglas MacArthur, Commander-in-Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, has awarded the Legion of Merit to First Lieutenant Glen V. Blakeslee, 1515 Woodland Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, Infantry, U.S. Army, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services in New Guinea. First Lieutenant Blakeslee served with conspicuous efficiency as communications officer for his unit. Under adverse conditions of weather and terrain and frequently under enemy fire, he worked unremittingly to maintain communications, often performing the duties of lineman, radio man, or repair man. His leadership and devotion to duty were an inspiration to the men of his platoon and resulted in excellent co-operation. First Lieutenant Blakeslee ably performed an indispensable service for his unit during the Buna operations.

Capt. Blakeslee to Arrive Home

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Blakeslee, 1515 Woodland Avenue, have received word that their son, Captain Glen Blakeslee, arrived in San Francisco Thursday, after nearly three years in the South Pacific Theater of War, and that he will be home in a week or ten days.

Captain Blakeslee left Eau Claire with the National Guard in 1940 and went overseas in April 1942. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his exceptional work in maintaining communications during the New Guinea Campaign. He has most recently been in the Philippine Islands.