JAMES W. BLEECKER
JAMES W. BLEECKER
JAMES W. BLEECKER, son of John W, Bleecker and Dora Wirt, was born June 12, 1933 in Anaheim CA, and died October 03, 1983 in Marana, AZ.
Children of JAMES W. BLEECKER are: i. JOHN WILLIAM BLEECKER. ii. SHARLEEN BLEECKER. iii. JONNENE MARIE BLEECKER.From item published in the Anaheim Bulletin, October, 1983:
The body of James Wirt Bleecker, a 45-year-old Korean and Vietnam war veteran, who grew up in Anaheim, was found floating in the Santa Cruz River in Arizona Monday, three days after he was washed off a bridge while responding to a call for help in the flood-ravaged area.
Bleecker was one of 11 confirmed victims of the flooding that has left thousands homeless in southern Arizona. Four other persons are missing and assumed dead.
Bleecker received a call for help at his bar in Marana, Ariz., and drove out in the storm with another man in a four-wheel drive vehicle, said Bleecker's sister, Dorothy Lerwick of Anaheim. He was washed into the river when he got out of the vehicle after it stalled on a flooded bridge, the Associated Press reported.
That was the kind of guy he was. He was a real hero in Korea, said Jim Townsend, a member of the Anaheim Public Utilities Board and Bleecker's platoon leader in Korea. He was quite a guy.
Townsend said he recommended Bleecker for a Silver Star after a battle in which the Chinese threw a battalion against their company in what was supposed to be a small company raid.
"It was very, very heavy fighting because the Chinese thought it was the opening of a major battle", said Townsend. "Bleecker was all over the place attending the wounded getting them out of the line of fire."
Bleecker was a squad sergeant in the 60th Infantry Division, one of two activated National Guard units to see action in Korea. He served in Korea for three years.
Bleecker joined the Air Force after getting out of the Army and served two tours in Vietnam before retiring in 1974.