Gene Blade was raised on a small west central Illinois farm, and joined the Illinois Army National Guard in 1954. Two years later he enlisted in the Regular Army and served in an artillery unit in Hawaii before returning to Illinois and the family farm. Throughout the 1960s he owned a tire store and moved up through the Illinois National Guard, including a long tour as an artillery battery commander. By the late 1970s he became the Guard's first legislative liaison, and throughout the 1980s served as the United States Property and Fiscal Officer for the Illinois National Guard.
Interview Links
Feature Excerpt
Nuclear Spotter Round
Abstract
Interview Session 01 (Audio)
Growing up on an Illinois farm, and training in National Guard & Army
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
Active duty years and early career in Illinois National Guard
Interview Session 03 (Audio)
IL Army National Guard Legislative Liaison in late ‘70s
Interview Session 04 (Audio)
IL National Guard U.S. Property and Fiscal Officer in 1980s
Transcript
Photos
Caption:
Currie’s parents, Frank T. Flynn, Jr. and Elsie Rose Gobel, were married in a Notre Dame University chapel, South Bend, Indiana, December 29, 1934.
Where:
South Bend, Indiana
When:
December 29, 1934
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Gene Blade is the blond in the back row center for the 8th grade class picture for the Shortsville School (one room school) near Cameron, Illinois in February, 1948. His friends called Gene ‘Cotton Top’.
Where:
Cameron, Illinois
When:
February, 1948
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption:
Gene Blade is the blond in the back row center for the 8th grade class picture for the Shortsville School (one room school) near Cameron, Illinois in February, 1948. His friends called Gene ‘Cotton Top’.
Where:
Cameron, Illinois
When:
February, 1948
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption:
Sergeant Blade stands outside his unit’s Fire Direction Center Quonset hut at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii in 1958. Schofield Barracks was the home of the 25th Infantry Division.
Where:
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
When:
1958
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Sergeant Blade stands outside his unit’s Fire Direction Center Quonset hut at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii in 1958. Schofield Barracks was the home of the 25th Infantry Division.
Where:
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
When:
1958
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Gene and Marilyn Blade celebrate when leaving Hawaii in August, 1958. They returned on the SS Leilani, a commercial ocean liner.
Where:
Hawaii
When:
August, 1958
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Gene Blade’s Illinois OCS graduation photo in June, 1960. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Illinois Army National Guard.
Where:
Unknown
When:
June, 1960
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption:
‘A’ Battery, 1-123rd FA artillerymen gather on the Galesburg Armory drill floor for a unit photo at the unit’s last drill before trading in their 8 inch guns for 105 mm howitzers.
Where:
Galesburg Armory
When:
Circa, 1960
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Blades Firestone service truck outside Blade’s Firestone store in Monmouth in the late 1960s. Gene Blade built a new store in the late 1960s. Between his duties as Battery Commander and the owner of a thriving tire business, Blade kept very busy.
Where:
Monmouth, Illinois
When:
Circa late 1960's
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Blade and Lt McIntyre, ‘A’ Btry CO and XO, stand next to the 8 inch howitzer prime mover. The unit changed flags from being ‘A’ Btry, 1/123rd FA, 33rd Div to ‘C’ Btry, 2/123rd FA, 47th Infty Div and turned in their 8 inch guns for 105 mm howitzers.
Where:
Galesburg, Illinois
When:
1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Lieutenant McIntyre stands next to an 8 inch gun inside the Galesburg Armory. The unit traded in two 8 inch guns for six 105 mm howitzers at the same time it changed from A Battery, 1-123rd FA to ‘C’ Battery, 2-123rd FA.
Where:
Galesburg Armory
When:
Circa, 1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Five year old son Douglas in 1968 sits atop heavy-duty tires ready to be delivered to a farmer to be added to his tractor. Blade’s Tire Shop had a large agricultural clientele.
Where:
Monmouth, Illinois
When:
Circa 1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Captain Blade in the field at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma while he served as a battalion S-2 (Intelligence Officer) for Headquarters Battery, 2nd BN, 123rd Field Artillery in July, 1973.
Where:
Ft. Sill, Oklahoma
When:
July, 1973
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
LTC Lou Myers, Major General John Phipps and LTC Gene Blade meet with Gov Jim Thompson during the legislature’s budget talks. They were given a hand receipt for Abraham Lincoln’s rocking chair. Blade was the Guard’s legislative liaison at the time.
Where:
Unknown
When:
February, 1979
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption:
The change of command ceremony for the 1st BN, 123rd Field Artillery, 66th Brigade, 47th Infantry Division in December, 1979. Major Knutenson took over command from LTC Gene Blade.
Where:
Unknown
When:
December, 1979
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Colonel Gene Blade in his Class A (formal) uniform in the early 1980s, while he served as Illinois’ USP&FO (United States Property and Fiscal Officer).
Where:
Unknown
When:
Early 1980s
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption:
Colonel Gene Blade receives a graduation certificate for the Air Force Comptroller School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama from General Herb Temple (Chief, National Guard Bureau) in 1986.
Where:
Maxwell AFB, Alabama
When:
1986
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption:
Ground-breaking ceremony for the new Air National Guard base. Bob Michel, unknown, Asst. Sec. of Air Force for Facilities Richard Carver, Lane Evans, Mayor Archie ‘Doc’ Yeley, Mayor Jim Maloof, COL Kenneth Peterson, General Dick Eslinger and COL Blade.
Where:
Oeoria, Illinois
When:
August, 1987
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption:
The ground-breaking ceremony for the new Air National Guard base at Peoria in August, 1987. COL Blade helped create the long-handled shovel.
Where:
Peoria, Illinois
When:
August, 1987
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption:
The 2nd BN, 123rd Field Artillery was awarded the Best Property Accountability Award circa fall, 1988 while training at the Henderson County Forest Preserve. From left to right are CSM Don Foley, LTC Bob Fitch and COL Blade.
Where:
Henderson County Forest Preserve
When:
Circa fall, 1988
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption:
COL Gene and Marilyn Blade at a NGAUS (National Guard Association of the U.S.) Conference, circa 1989.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Circa 1989
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
COL Blade addresses the audience at the 1991 Memorial Day Ceremony at the Monmouth, Illinois Court House. American Legion officer LeRoy Davis stands to the left of the podium.
Where:
Monmouth, Illinois
When:
1991
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
COL Blade presents a plaque to COL Russ Delany for appreciation of the superb job Delany did as Chief of the Comptroller Division at National Guard Bureau during the USP&FO Advisory Council Meeting in 1993.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1993
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.