Gustave Heiss

Gustave Heiss medal table
fencing
United States
Olympic games
bronze	Los Angeles 1932	Epee team

Gustave Marinius Heiss (born November 4, 1904 in Meridian , † June 7, 1982 in Arlington ) was an American sword fencer and colonel in the US Army .

Life

Gustave Heiss took part in two Olympic Games : at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles , he won the bronze medal in the team competition with George Calnan , Miguel de Capriles , Tracy Jaeckel , Curtis Shears and Frank Righeimer . In the individual, he was seventh in his group in the semi-finals. In 1936 he finished fifth with the team in Berlin , while he did not get past the first round in the individual. Heiss won the national singles title in 1933, 1934, 1936 and 1941. In the team competition, he secured seven titles. The United States Fencing Association inducted him into their Hall of Fame .

Heiss initially studied briefly at Tulane University before attending the military academy in West Point . During World War II , he served in the 1st U.S. Army , 3rd U.S. Army, and the 87th Infantry Division . In the course of the Ardennes offensive , Heiss, who commanded a battalion , was seriously wounded by a German booby trap on January 2, 1945, which meant the end of his military and sports career. He then spent almost two years in hospitals. For his services in the war, Heiss received the Silver Star , the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart . He retired from military service with the rank of colonel , and spent the remainder of his professional career in civil service.

Web links

• Gustave Heiss in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )
• Gustave Heiss in the Hall of Fame of the United States Fencing Association (English, archive link)