BLAKE, CHARLES RAYMOND
First Lieutenant, U.S. Army
Home: Westerly, Rhode Island
Pilot, 7th Aviation Instruction Center, French Army (Attached)
Date of Action: August 9, 1918
General Orders No. 20, W.D., 1919
Citation:
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Charles Raymond Blake, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Lassigny, France, August 9, 1918.
Lieutenant Blake with Second Lieutenant Earle W. Porter, observer, while on a reconnaissance expedition at a low altitude far beyond the enemy lines, was attacked by five German battle planes. His observer was wounded at the beginning of the combat, but he maneuvered his plane so skillfully that the observer was able to shoot down one of their adversaries. By more skillful maneuvering he enabled his observer to fight off the remaining planes and returned safely to friendly territory.
BLAKE, CHARLES RAYMOND
United States Air Force
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/07/1897
DATE OF DEATH: 05/09/1958
BURIED AT: SECTION 2 SITE 4872-A
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard