- Donald Leroy Truesdale
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Donald Leroy Truesdale
Chief Warrant Officer Donald TruesdaleBorn 8 August 1906
Lugoff South CarolinaDied 21 September 1993 (aged 87)
Lugoff, South CarolinaAllegiance United States
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service 1924 – 1946 Rank Chief Warrant Officer Battles/wars Occupation of Nicaragua Awards Medal of Honor
Purple HeartDonald Leroy Truesdale (born Donald Leroy Truesdell) (August 8, 1906–September 21, 1993) was a United States Marine Corps Corporal received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Occupation of Nicaragua. He attempted to throw away a rifle grenade at the cost of his right hand. He later obtained the rank of Chief Warrant Officer. He was later given a posthumous memorial by the South Carolina General Assembly on May 19, 2004.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps. Place and date: Vicinity Constancia, near Coco River, northern Nicaragua, April 24, 1932. Entered service at: South Carolina. Born: August 8, 1906, Lugoff, S.C.
Citation:
Cpl. Truesdale was second in command of a Guardia Nacional Patrol in active operations against armed bandit forces in the vicinity of Constancia, near Coco River, northern Nicaragua, on April 24, 1932. While the patrol was in formation on the trail searching for a bandit group with which contact had just previously been made, a rifle grenade fell from its carrier and struck a rock, igniting the detonator. Several men close to the grenade at the time were in danger. Cpl. Truesdale, who was several yards away, could easily have sought cover and safety for himself. Knowing full well the grenade would explode within 2 or 3 seconds, he rushed for the grenade, grasped it in his right hand, and attempted to throw it away from the patrol. The grenade exploded in his hand, blowing it off and inflicting serious multiple wounds about his body. Cpl. Truesdale, in taking the full shock of the explosion himself, saved the members of the patrol from loss of life or serious injury.
See also
References
- "Bill 5314: Resolution to Commend Donald Leroy Truesdale". South Carolina General Assembly, 115th Session, 2003-2004. May 19, 2004. http://www.scstatehouse.net/sess115_2003-2004/bills/5314.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-29.
- "Medal of Honor citation for Truesdell, Donald Leroy". HomeofHeroes.com. http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1900_wars/ni_truesdell_donald.html. Retrieved 2006-12-29. Note: Truesdell officially changed his name to Truesdale.
- "Grave site of Donald Leroy Truesdell (AKA: Donald Leroy Truesdale)". HomeofHeroes.com. http://www.homeofheroes.com/gravesites/states/pages_pz/truesdell_donald_sc.html. Retrieved 2006-12-29.
Categories:- 1906 births
- 1993 deaths
- American military personnel of World War II
- Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients
- People from Kershaw County, South Carolina
- American people of English descent
- Recipients of the Purple Heart medal
- United States Marines
- United States Marine Corps officers
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