Chester O. Blackburn was born June 22, 1897 in Oklahoma. He apparently lived in California where he worked as a geologist, and died in Los Angeles in 1964. He enlisted June 17, 1918, discharged May 16, 1919. Private Blackburn was wounded in action October 4, 1918 which is when the rest of the 308th was trapped in the "pocket" and became famous as the "Lost Battalion". Blackburn also was in WW2 May 25, 1942 through September 18, 1946. He retired from the Army on June 30, 1957 at age 60, after 20 years of service, as a Lt. Colonel, Serial No. O-189176.
Private Blackburn's group includes his officially engraved WW1 Bailey, Banks and Biddle Purple Heart edge numbered 25108, Mexican Border Service medal edge numbered 5878, WW1 Victory medal with two campaign bars, WW1 New York State medal, numbered 58264, Verdun medal, and hand made ribbon bar with 3 ribbons. Also included is his WW1 framed Wound Certificate issued just after WW1. The Wound Certificate is unusual because it is not written in the standard calligraphy, and it has the date of the wound listed.
This griuo has been sold.
