Blakeslee - Army Air Corps Reserve or Army Reserve

[keith A]

Can anyone tell me whether this pilot was in the Army Air Corps or Army in the period October 1938-19 September 40? Sources very. If possibly the units he served with too. I assume he was a graduate of an ROTC?

regards


Keith

[RSwank]

Attached is his listing in the 1948 Army and Air Force Register. It shows him as a 2nd Lt in the Army Infantry Reserve in Oct , 1938 and honorably discharged 13 Sept, 1940. Of the many online bios, these mention those facts. http://www.veterantributes.org/Tribu...p?recordID=288
http://acesofww2.com/USA/aces/blakeslee/

Note it appears he enlisted at Windsor in August, 1940. According to a recorded interview on YouTube, I think he flew up to Detroit, went to Windsor Canada to enlist and then went home to await the RCAF call-up. He then was discharged in September after he had been accepted in the RCAF.

[keith A]

yep, roger that, but it doesn't mention that Blakeslee was in 411 squadron with "Cooler King" Bill Ash, Wally McLeod and "Buck" McNair before, after a disagreement with his c.o he joined 401 as a replacement. So I wondered if his earlier pilots license would have made him more likely to be a reserve officer in USAAC as opposed to an infantry officer?

[keith A]

However it does seem to indicate he was a reserve infantry officer...no information on his service 1938-40?

[keith A]

Was he a member of the OHG 37th Aviation Division or the 145th-147th infantry?

[keith A]

Found my answer in "Immigrants of War" by Peter Wydenchuk. Blakeslee states he did not have the qualification to join the USAAC, and his age on joining the ONG would seem to indicate he had not attended college.


regards

Keith