page_title: William Bleckwenn
section_title: Military service in World War II
hierarchical_section_title: William Bleckwenn / Military service in World War II
caption_attribution_description: Legion of Merit, Legionnaire order
context_page_description: William Jefferson Bleckwenn was an American neurologist, psychiatrist, and military physician, who was instrumental in developing the treatment known as "narcoanalysis" or "narcosynthesis", also known by the lay term "truth serum".
context_section_description: Bleckwenn had enlisted in the Wisconsin Army National Guard as a medical student, and had remained in the Reserve Medical Corps after completing his medical degree. He took part in the U.S. Army training maneuvers in 1940 and 1941 in central Louisiana (the "Louisiana Maneuvers") under the command of Lt. Gen. Stanley Embrick, which were undertaken because of the imminence of U.S. involvement in World War II. In 1941, Bleckwenn was called to active duty and attached to the 135th medical regiment. That unit operated as part of the U.S. Sixth Army and was tasked with management of frontline casualties. After the United States entered the war, the 135th shipped out to the Pacific Theater of Operations in March 1942. Bleckwenn was its commanding officer, with the rank of colonel (O6). The 135th saw action in New Guinea, Tarawa, Kwajalein, the Philippines, and Saipan. In addition to his administrative command duties, Bleckwenn functioned as a treating neurologist and psychiatrist; he also participated in establishing the "consultant system" of military psychiatric care, under the overall direction of Brig. Gen. William Menninger.
  For his contributions during the war, Bleckwenn was awarded the Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster) (see figure at right).  
   
  His governmental citation reads:
  "Colonel William J. Bleckwenn rendered distinguished service as Consultant in Neuropsychiatry, Sixth Service Command, from July 1944 to November 1945.  With a background of rich experience in the actual handling of nervous and mental casualties in the combat area, he displayed unusual foresight and understanding in organizing the program of treatment for mentally-disabled returnees."  Bleckwenn also held the World War II Victory Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.
caption: The U.S. Legion of Merit
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