Serving as a Marine in the U.S. Marine Corps, Corporal Donald Leroy Truesdell received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 14, 1932 vicinity of Constancia, near Coco River, northern Nicaragua, Nicaragua during the Second Nicaraguan Campaign. Truesdell was 25 years old.
The medal was presented on July 19, 1932. Nicaragua, presented by Brig. Gen. Randolph C. Berkeley. He later rose to the rank of Chief Warrent Officer 2.
Truesdell was born on August 8, 1906 in Lugoff, Kershaw County, South Carolina. His Medal of Honor is credited to South Carolina. Truesdell died on September 21, 1993 in Columbia, South Carolina, at the age of 87. He is buried at Truesdell Family Cemetery in Washington, District of Columbia. Records also list him as Name Changed to: Truesdale, Donald Leroy.
Truesdell is one of 2 Medal of Honor recipients from the Second Nicaraguan Campaign and one of 33 credited to South Carolina.
Official Medal of Honor 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 24 April 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 two or three 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.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, Donald Leroy Truesdell received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War II.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in South Carolina →
Timeline
- August 8, 1906Born in Lugoff, Kershaw County, South Carolina
- April 14, 1932Act of valor — vicinity of Constancia, near Coco River, northern Nicaragua, NicaraguaAge 25.
- July 19, 1932Medal of Honor presentedNicaragua, presented by Brig. Gen. Randolph C. Berkeley
- September 21, 1993Died in Columbia, South CarolinaAge 87.
- Resting placeTruesdell Family CemeteryWashington, District of Columbia
Biography
Donald Leroy Truesdell (name changed from Truesdale to Truesdell on 25 July 1942) (August 8, 1906 – September 21, 1993) was a United States Marine Corps corporal who 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.
From the Wikipedia article “Donald Leroy Truesdell”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →