Donald Leroy Truesdale

Donald Leroy Truesdale
Chief Warrant Officer Donald Truesdale
Born	8 August 1906(1906-08-08) Lugoff South Carolina
Died	21 September 1993(1993-09-21) (aged 87) Lugoff, South Carolina
Allegiance	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 Heart

Donald 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

	Biography portal
	World War II portal
	United States Marine Corps portal

• List of Medal of Honor recipients

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. 

Persondata
Name	Truesdale, Donald Leroy
Alternative names
Short description	United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient
Date of birth	August 8, 1906
Place of birth	Lugoff South Carolina
Date of death	September 21, 1993
Place of death	Lugoff, South Carolina